RAYMOND — It wasn’t the state championship game, but Caleb Poole snagged victory from the jaws of defeat Friday night on the road against a good Central Hinds Academy team.
He also did it near the end of the opposing team’s homecoming game. Poole scored on a three-yard touchdown run and scored what proved to be the game-winning 2-point conversion run as the WCCA Rams stunned the Cougars 32-31.
“The boys were resilient. They never quit playing” head coach Christopher McGraw said. “We finally came out and played four quarters of football.”
In this battle of ranked teams from different classifications – WCCA came in ranked No. 5 in Class A-AA while Central Hinds was No. 4 in Class AAA – it appeared that the Cougars were on their way to a win after a pair of Tanner Leggett touchdown runs gave them a 31-24 lead with 7:00 remaining in the game.
But that was more than enough time for the Rams to take the momentum, and the game, away from the Cougars.
“The line did a lot better. We got Josh Leger back tonight. He had been out since the second round of the playoffs last year,” McGraw said.
Poole finished with 159 yards, four touchdowns and two 2-point conversions on 28 carries. Steven Franks had 14 carries for 121 yards.
WCCA (3-1) plays at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Prairie View Academy.
Amite County 30, Jefferson County 20
LIBERTY — Javion Granger’s 95-yard kickoff return after a Jefferson County touchdown gave the Amite County Trojans a lead they would not relinquish as they defeated the Tigers 30-20 Friday night.
Jefferson County’s Rah’Kendrick Reynolds connected with Jaqurous Blake on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 0:08 to go in the third quarter for a 12-8 lead.
Granger took the ensuing kickoff and took it the distance. Elijah Martin’s 2-point conversion run gave Amite County a 16-12 advantage with 0:03 left in the third. Lantravious Franklin had a pair of long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. His 30-yard scoring run with 3:14 to go squashed out hopes of a Tigers’ comeback attempt.
Reynolds ran for 52 yards on 11 carries and went 7-for-15 passing for 150 yards with one interception.
Jefferson County (1-4) is entering a bye week.
Oak Forest 39, Centreville 8
AMITE, La. — Oak Forest Academy ran through Centreville Tigers’ defense to the tune of 332 yards and five touchdowns as No. 5 team in MAIS Class AAAA rolled to a 39-8 win Friday night.
Oak Forest’s only non-rushing touchdown was by its defense on a 20-yard fumble recovery and return late in the third quarter. The Yellow Jackets’ defense also held Centreville to just 116 yards of total offense.
The Tigers didn’t get into the end zone until there were just 39 seconds left on a four-yard run by quarterback Tyler Thomassie. Jace Delee added the 2-point conversion run.
Centreville (3-2) takes on Bowling Green School in District 5-AAA action at 7 p.m. Friday.
Lawrence County 34, Franklin County 28
MONTICELLO — Franklin County had a two-score lead on Lawrence County before the Cougars’ Charl’tez Nunnery took over, leading three touchdown drives in the final 9:02 for a 34-28 comeback win over the Bulldogs Friday night.
Nunnery scored on a nine-yard run and threw touchdown passes of eight and 25 yards to AJ McLaurin to held Lawrence County rally from a 28-14 deficit with 10:02 remaining in the game.
Nunnery accounted for all five of the Cougars’ touchdowns, three rushing and two passing. He ran 221 yards on 22 carries and went 7-for-17 passing for 98 yards.
Franklin County quarterback De’martre Collins did his best to match Nunnery in a battle of dual-threat signal callers. Collins had 106 rushing yards on 24 carries, but he also threw four interceptions and went 7-for-17 passing for 84 yards.
Franklin County (2-3) plays at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Tylertown.
Scotlandville (La.) 60,
Wilkinson County 26
WOODVILLE — The Scotlandville (La.) Hornets, ranked No. 7 in the latest LSWA Class 5A poll, jumped out to a 22-0 lead after quarter of play and never looked back in a 60-26 win over the Wilkinson County High School Wildcats Friday night.
Wilkinson County (2-3) plays at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Ferriday.