WOODVILLE — Desmond Hunter threw four touchdown passes and Wilkinson County High School’s defense forced six turnovers as the Wildcats took care of the Wesson High School Cobras 36-6 Friday night in an MHSAA Division 7-3A game.

Wilkinson County got off to a slow start against a struggling Wesson team. The Wildcats didn’t score any points in the first quarter and were still only up 16-6 at halftime before finally taking control in the third quarter.

“We had a lackluster first quarter. The second quarter, we started moving the ball,” Wilkinson County head coach Kenneth Brown said. “Then we messed around and they scored right at the end of the first half.”

Brown was concerned that that touchdown would swing the momentum over to Wesson. Instead, the defense forced and recovered a Cobras fumble and turned that into a touchdown and two-point conversion for a 24-6 Wildcats lead.

Hunter got into a good rhythm in the third quarter en route to going 18-for-27 on the night for 245 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Jaquarious Stewart had five catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

“We started making better throws and started catching the ball,” Brown said.

Wilkinson County put up 20 points in the third quarter its defense pitched a shutout in the second half. The Wildcats also forced six turnovers. Juan Anthony returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown and LaKendrick Washington had two fumble recoveries.

With the win and Jefferson County’s loss to Franklin County, Wilkinson County finished third in Division 7-3A.

“We’re glad to be back in the playoffs,” Brown said. “But we need to play better in the first half.”

Wilkinson County (6-5, 3-2) will visit Morton in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A South State Playoffs next Friday at 7 p.m.