LIBERTY — Billy Norman had a special teams touchdown and Jimmy Barnes had a pair of short touchdown runs as Franklin County defeated Amite County 27-6 Friday night in Region 7-3A action to keep their playoff hopes alive.

But despite the win, there was one glaring statistic that Bulldogs head coach Ricky O’Quinn was not too pleased about – 19 penalties for 200. And most of those were in the second half.

“It was an ugly win. It was a good win, but it was an ugly win,” O’Quinn said. “We got off to a good start in the first half. The second half we had too many penalties. We still moved the ball.”

Norman scored on a 32-yard punt return and Coleman Graves added the extra point to give Franklin County (4-5, 2-1) a 7-0 lead with 4:56 to go in the first quarter. Barnes scored both of his touchdowns in the second quarter and they were both from 3 yards out as the Bulldogs went into halftime with a 20-0 lead.

But in the second half, not only did the penalties keep Franklin County from blowing the game away, but so did Amite County’s defense.

“They played good. They pinned their ears back and we didn’t make any adjustments,” O’Quinn said. “We’ve got to play consistently. Offensively, we’ve got to play for four quarters. Tonight we played for two and a half quarters.”

Milton Griffin had 11 carries for 84 yards while Jadarius Davis completed 3 of 10 passes for 74 yards. Calvin Robinson had two catches for 62 yards.

Damien Anderson scored what turned out to be the Trojans’ only touchdown of the game on a 34-yard run early in the third quarter. Other than that, Amite County (2-6, 0-3) had trouble moving the ball on Franklin County’s defense.

“Defensively we played great. They scored on a reverse. Other than that it was lights out,” O’Quinn said.

The Bulldogs held the Trojans to just 109 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers. In addition to his punt return for a touchdown, Norman had eight tackles and one fumble recovery.

Franklin County hosts defending Class 3A state champion Tylertown in a crucial Region 7-3A game next Friday at 7 p.m.

Hazlehurst 30, Wilkinson County 28

HAZLEHURST — Two missed conversions by Wilkinson County and a successful 2-point conversion by Hazlehurst after a game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as the Indians rallied to beat the Wildcats Friday night in a key Region 7-3A game for both teams.

Unlike Franklin County just a week earlier, Wilkinson County moved the ball at will on Hazlehurst’s defense. The Wildcats ran and threw the ball quite well against the Indians as they racked up 16 first downs and 418 yards of total offense.

Brandon Harton scored on a 40-yard run in the first quarter, but the extra point was no good as Wilkinson County led 6-0 at the end of the quarter. The Wildcats scored in the second quarter on Brian Montgomery’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Devin Voorhies, but Montgomery’s pass on the 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete.

Still, Hazlehurst looked to be in command with a 22-12 halftime lead. But Wilkinson County dominated much of the second half and eventually took the lead on the road.

Montgomery connected with Javonta Ephion on a 15-yard touchdown pass and then with Voorhies on the 2-point conversion to cut the Indians’ lead to 22-20 in the third quarter.

Then in the fourth quarter, Montgomery threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Devin Fosselman. Kenyon McDonald was on the receiving end of Montgomery’s 2-point conversion pass as the Wildcats led 28-22.

But with 3:00 left in the ball game, Hazlehurst (6-2, 2-1) scored on a 3-yard run and won the game on the 2-point conversion.

Montgomery completed 23 of 30 passes for 257 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the Wildcats’ ground game with 94 yards rushing on 14 carries.

Fosselman had nine catches for 103 yards while Harton had 11 carries for 65 yards.

Wilkinson County faces a must-win situation to keep its playoff hopes alive when it hosts Amite County next Friday at 7 p.m.

Tylertown 28, Jefferson County 14

TYLERTOWN — Tylertown sophomore quarterback Trye’oune Holmes put the Chiefs on his back in the second half after the Chiefs and the Jefferson County Tigers played each other to a 14-14 tie at halftime.

His two touchdowns on the other side of halftime as well as the stellar play of Tylertown’s defense proved to be key in the Chiefs’ win over the Tigers in a Region 7-3A game Friday night.

Holmes scored on a 6-yard run in the third quarter to give No. 5 Tylertown (6-2, 3-0) a 20-14 lead in the third quarter. He iced the game with his 5-yard touchdown run and 2-point conversion run in the fourth quarter.

However, the win wasn’t as easy as those watching the game would have expected. Especially considering Tylertown’s dominance over Jefferson County in recent years.

The Tigers scored first on a 56-yard run by senior running back Robert Wells. Kiwaski Tenner threw to Frank Harris for the 2-point conversion for an 8-0 lead in the first quarter.

Peyton Denton scored on a 5-yard run and Holmes ran in for the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8 in what turned out to be a crazy second quarter.

Tenner scored on a 2-yard run, but his attempted pass on the 2-point conversion try was incomplete for a 14-8 Jefferson County lead. Ashton Ellzey scored on a 27-yard run for Tylertown, but the extra point was no good.

With the loss, Jefferson County fell to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in Region 7-3A. The Tigers host Hazlehurst next Friday at 7 p.m.