SENATOBIA – The final score was not reflective of who the better football team was here Saturday afternoon at Ranger Stadium/Bobby Franklin Field in the MACCC semifinals.
No. 3 Northwest scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to down No. 7 Jones College, 38-35, and advance to its third straight conference title game. On the flip side, it's Jones' third straight playoff loss to the Rangers.
Northwest will host East Mississippi on Nov. 12 in the conference championship game. EMCC defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast 38-27 in a semifinal game on Saturday.
Jones, 8-2, turned it over a season-high five times that led to 24 Northwest points, the final one coming on the Rangers' 24-yard line with 1:56 to play with the Bobcats driving to tie or win the game.
Northwest, 10-0, started four scoring drives inside Bobcat territory on the 27-yard line (twice), 16-yard line and 32-yard line. Only two Ranger scoring drives were longer than 33 yards.
The first of five turnovers came on Jones' third drive of the opening quarter. Quarterback DJ Smith (Greenville Christian) was giving himself up on a slide at midfield that was incorrectly ruled a fumble and led to a Ranger field goal.
The very next drive for Jones, on the first play, Robert Henry (Lumberton) fumbled on the Bobcats' 29-yard line. One play later, Ren Hefley hit Xavier Davis for a touchdown pass and 10-0 Northwest lead.
Jones got on the board with 2:35 to play in the opening quarter when Smith found Ashton Nickelberry (Brandon) over the middle for a 14-yard touchdown. The drive covered 75 yards on nine plays.
After forcing a quick three-and-out, Jones took its first lead, 14-10, early in the second. Smith hit Tavion Smith (Oak Grove) for a 21-yard gain, Henry ran it down to the Ranger 9-yard line and then DJ Smith ran it in from nine yards out.
A Smith interception led to Northwest's third score. Dude Person returned the pick down to the Jones 16-yard line where Jamarien Bracey took it in to make it 17-14 Rangers.
The Bobcats immediately responded to take a 21-17 lead into the half. Alan Follis (West Jones) hit Tavion Smith on third-and-goal to cap a 75-yard scoring drive.
Jones could not have asked for a better start in the third quarter.
A failed Northwest fake punt setup Jones at the Ranger 34-yard line. A play later, Henry rushed around the left side into traffic and switched field down the Ranger sideline 34 yards to paydirt.
Lardarius Webb Jr. (Jackson Academy) picked off a Hefley pass on the Rangers' ensuing possession and housed it 70 yards to extend the Bobcat lead to 35-17 with 8:09 left in the third quarter.
But that's where the game stalled for Jones.
Three straight Bobcat punts and a fumble is how the last four drives would go.
Northwest scored back-to-back touchdowns in a 58 second span to pull within 35-31. The second score came on another short field on a Bobcat interception.
The Rangers took the lead for good late fourth quarter with a 16-play, 92-yard drive, aided by a phantom pass interference call on third-and-10.
With 2:02 to play and Jones driving into Ranger territory to tie or take the lead, DJ Smith was fighting for extra yards and the first down on fourth-and-2 when he fumbled and it was recovered by Northwest.
Smith finished 11-of-18 for 140 yards, a touchdown and interception, and also ran for a score, but fumbled twice. Follis had a touchdown pass and interception. Nickelberry had six grabs for 77 yards and a score and Tavion Smith added a touchdown reception.
Henry closed the season with a nation's best 1,302 yards. He ran for 187 and a score.
Javarian Jenkins (Oak Grove) had a team-high eight tackles.
