JACKSON — Ninety-nine yards.

It was the longest drive in Wilkinson County Christian Academy head coach Chris McGraw’s career, but by the end of it, he was a state champion.

Midway through the fourth quarter and down 7-0, WCCA was up against the ropes, trying to hold Tri-County Academy out of the end zone.

The Rebels had the ball at the Rams 1-yard line, but a forced fumble and recovery from Luke Littleton gave WCCA the ball, and hope.

“We got turnovers when we needed them,” McGraw said. “We kept hitting them in the mouth. We’ve won this year on being physical, and that is how we won today.”

So began the final trek encompassing the length of the field for WCCA.

The Rams, who have relied on their run based offense all season, never deviated from what they do best, despite time being against them with just over seven minutes left to play in the game.

“I knew that when we were still within a touchdown, we had to stick with it,” McGraw said of running the football. “I had faith in my boys.”

The Rams managed to drive all the way to the Tri-County 30-yard line, but their final test of 2015 was waiting.

Facing a fourth and 10 with less than 30 seconds in the game, McGraw called timeout.

“I just told them we had to have it,” he said. “I went to my senior. The line blocked great, and I told Caleb (Poole) to throw it up to a 6’4 kid and let him make a play. That is all we could do.”

That kid was Phillip Cutrer, who hauled in the Hail Mary pass from Poole and scored on the 30-yard play, bringing WCCA within one point at 7-6.

“I’m glad I could make that happen for my team,” Cutrer said. “I just had to go and get it.”

McGraw said he never doubted it could happen.

“I thought he had it,” McGraw said. “I knew if he had a chance, he was going to catch it.”

But their work wasn’t done. The Rams were going for the win.

Lining up in the swinging-gate formation, Poole took a shotgun snap and barreled forward into the end zone to convert the two-point conversion attempt and give WCCA an 8-7 lead with 18 seconds left.

“I knew Sam Nicholas was going to make a block and I knew I was going to have to cut one way or the other,” Poole said. “He made the perfect block and we got in the end zone.”

Tri-County would recover the ensuing squib kickoff at their own 47-yard line.

The Rebels completed a pass down to the Ram 40-yard line, but a last second heave into the end zone fell incomplete, giving WCCA the 8-7 win and Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A-AA state title.

“These kids are more relentless than anything I’ve ever dealt with,” McGraw said. “The good Lord took care of us.”

WCCA’s defense shined in the contest, limiting a dangerous Tri-County offense to just over 200 yards on the day.

“I think we performed well,” WCCA’s Steven Franks said. “We were able to contain and keep everything between the tackles, and that really helped us stop their offense.”

Franks recorded five tackles and also added a sack in the game.

Leading the way for WCCA was Braden Passinger with 11 tackles.

Yards weren’t easy to come by though for the Rams on offense, as Poole and the dynamic rushing attack were held to just 153 yards on the ground. However, the Rams were able to get the crucial yards when they needed them.

“Our linemen are unbelievable and the three seniors are the heart,” McGraw said.

Tri-County’s lone score for the day came on the first possession of the game, where the Rebels marched 56 yards on 12 plays and scored on an 11-yard run by quarterback Jake Jones.

“We gave up that first drive and that was it,” McGraw said. “They had a couple first downs, but we got the turnovers when we needed them most.”

McGraw, who is in his first season coaching his alma mater, said the feeling after the game was one for the books.

“It is surreal,” he said. “I couldn’t have dreamed of it.”

The championship win is the first for WCCA since 1988.

The Rams finished the 2015 season with a 12-2 record.