SENATOBIA – A 38-yard touchdown pass from Jack Walker to Mack Martin III and a 36-yard field goal from Cole Catalano helped No. 10 Northwest to a fourth quarter rally in Saturday's 24-17 victory against No. 7 Jones College in the MACJC Semifinals.
Northwest improved to 8-2 on the season and received a bid to its fourth MACJC title contest in the last five seasons. The visiting Bobcats dropped to 7-3 overall with the loss.
It appeared both teams were heading toward an offensive showdown as Northwest and Jones both scored on each team's opening possession. The Rangers struck first with an 8-yard score from Jaquerrious Williams, only to see the Bobcats respond with an 8-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a short 4-yard rush from Ladamian Webb.
However, both touchdowns would be the only points scored throughout the rest of the first half, as Northwest and Jones traded five punts combined along with a turnover on downs from the Rangers and a D.J. Travis interception that stopped a Northwest drive early in the second quarter.
Jones made a final scoring push as the second quarter came to a close, but the Rangers' defense stopped the Bobcats at the 28-yard line. That set up a 45-yard field goal attempt from Christopher Thompson that sailed wide left, keeping the game tied at halftime.
Thompson redeemed himself on the opening possession of the second half, as the Bobcats' kicker hit a 38-yard attempt to give Jones a 10-7 advantage early in the third quarter.
Northwest responded midway through the third with a 5-play, 91-yard drive that culminated in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Walker to Braden Smith in the corner of the end zone. Catalano followed through with the ensuing PAT and the Rangers regained the lead at 14-10.
Roughly three minutes later, the celebration was cut short as Fred Barnum connected with Natorian Watts for a 55-yard touchdown reception, which allowed the Bobcats to jump ahead once again at 17-14 with 2:20 remaining in the quarter.
Jones threatened to extend the lead as the fourth quarter began but Jayce Rogers cut the Bobcats' drive short with an interception near midfield. Seven plays and 3:30 later, the Rangers pulled ahead 21-17 with Walker's 38-yard pass to Martin.
A deep pass from Barnum on the Bobcats' next possession resulted in a De Mays interception, giving the Rangers the ball at their own 15 with eight minutes to go. Northwest ate nearly five minutes off the clock with a 10-play drive that ended in Catalano's 36-yard field goal that stretched the lead to 24-17.
Barnum and the Bobcats made one last threat as the clock continued to wind, with Jones marching into Northwest territory at the 33-yard line. On third down with a minute left in regulation, sophomore Christian Cain delivered the game-clinching interception in the end zone that allowed the Rangers to run out the clock.
Both teams combined for nearly 700 yards of total offense with Northwest earning 378 yards. The Rangers aired out 213 yards passing, led by seven receptions for 164 yards from Smith. Williams also accounted for 97 of the Rangers' 165 yards on the ground.
In what has been the case for most of the season, Quentin Wilfawn led the Rangers with 10 total tacklesm including two tackles-for-loss for 16 yards. Cam White added nine tackles with Cain, Mays and Dee Rule totaling eight stops apiece.
Watts led the Bobcats' receiving corps with four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown, while Kalyn Grandberry totaled 89 rushing yards. Barnum finished 16-fo-29 for 194 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.
Daylen Gill and Kenderian Dixon led the Bobcats on defense, combining for 25 total tackles.
Northwest will welcome top-ranked and MACJC South Division champion Mississippi Gulf Coast to Bobby Franklin Field next Saturday, Nov. 9 for the MACJC Championship. The Bulldogs have been at or near the top-ranked spot in the national polls for most of the season and are one of only two undefeated teams remaining in the NJCAA.
MGCCC enters next Saturday's contest at 10-0 after a 31-7 disheveling of then-No. 13 East Mississippi.
Kickoff time for Saturday's showdown will be formally announced soon. Stay tuned to nwccrangers.com and @NWCC_Rangers on Twitter for more details leading up the contest.
By: Brian Lentz
Northwest Sports Information