PORT GIBSON — After a bye week, the Jefferson County Tigers were ready to take the field, albeit on the road against MHSAA Division 7-3A newcomer and longtime rival Port Gibson High School.

Well, Jefferson County answered the challenge with a strong defensive effort to go with a solid running game as it ended a four-game losing streak with a 14-0 win over the Blue Waves in the Tigers’ division opener.

“Much needed. We picked a good time to together and get a win,” Jefferson County head coach James Herrington said. “We didn’t win a game in September. This was a good way to start October coming off the open week.”

The Tigers scored all of their points in the first half. Rah’Kendrick Reynolds threw a two-yard touchdown pass to James Claiborne and Dykevis Ford ran in for the two-point conversion at the 1:52 mark of the first quarter. Ford then scored on a 24-yard run late in the second quarter.

Reynolds completed four of 11 passes for 57 yards, with three of those receptions belonging to Claiborne for 44 yards. Jalen Herrington was the team’s leading rusher with 102 yards on 13 carries.

“We played solid defense and being able to run the football, those were the keys to the win. Also, no turnovers on offense,” coach Herrington said.

However, he was not satisfied with the team scoring just 14 points after racking up 322 yards of total offense.

“The second half, we kind of played relaxed because we had the lead. We could have score more than 30 points tonight,” Herrington said.

Jefferson County (2-4, 1-0) plays host to Wilkinson County for homecoming in a pivotal division game for both teams next Friday at 7 p.m.