Jacory Rankin threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Alexander with 11:23 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Port Gibson Blue Waves defeated the Jefferson County High School Tigers in MHSAA Region 7-3A action Friday night, 20-16.

After being down 14-0 with 1:56 left in the first half, Jefferson County got back in the game on Gailrontae Fells’ 13-yard touchdown pass to Shelvin Hudson with 23 seconds remaining until halftime and Fells’ 2-point conversion run made it a 14-8 game at the break.

Fells scored on a 4-yard run and his 2-point conversion run with 3:32 left in the third quarter gave Jefferson County (1-5, 0-1) a 16-14 lead. But any thoughts of the Tigers upsetting the Blue Waves (5-2, 1-0) ended on Rankin’s long TD pass to Alexander.

Fells had 11 carries for 105 yards and completed five of 10 passes for 60 yards. Hudson had two catches for 25 yards.

Jefferson County (1-5, 0-1) hosts Wilkinson County for homecoming next Friday with kickoff at 7 p.m.