By Reina Kempt

The Natchez Democrat

WESSON — The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolfpack ended their regular season on a good note with a 42-14 win against Southwest Mississippi Community College Thursday.

The win propelled Co-Lin to a 7-2 record, 4-2 in conference and earned them the No. 9 rank in the country.

Co-Lin was in control for the majority of the game with 653 total yards of offense, while limiting Southwest to just 204 yards.

Quarterback Daniel Fitzwater completed 25 of 31 passes for 447 yards and two touchdowns. Casey Gladney added 163 yards on 10 catches for the Wolfpack and Kelton Smith tallied 98 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown.

The Wolfpack scored early with a 48-yard pass from Fitzwater to Devante Nichols. Co-Lin decided to build up a quick lead with a two-point conversion that was successful on a pass from Koy McFarland to Caroll Phillips.

Southwest got on the scoreboard first in the second half when Jamal Hall ran for 16 yards on a hand off and Michal McDaniel scored the extra-point kick to make the score 8-7.

Co-Lin distanced itself from Southwest with two unanswered touchdowns before halftime on a short rush from Delance Turner and a 5-yard pass from Fitzwater to Natchez-native Javon Washington to make the lead 21-7.

Both teams scored just once in the third quarter with Co-Lin touching the end zone first on a 41-yard run from Kelton Smith. Both extra-point kicks were good.

Southwest’s De’Angelo Ballard scored the Bears final touchdown on a 13-yard rush with McDaniel making the extra-point kick to keep the game within 14 points at 28-14.

The Wolfpack sealed the deal with two final touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both by Diquan Davis for 7 and 43 yards respectively.

The win put the Wolfpack in third place in the conference. The team must wait to see if they qualify for a bowl game.