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Big plays from Clark, Kennedy, and Rogers lift No. 17 Co-Lin over Holmes
August 30, 2019
WESSON, Miss. – The No. 17 ranked Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves moved to 1-0 on the opening night of the MACJC season with a 27-21 victory Holmes Community College in front of a large crowd in Stone Stadium on the college’s Wesson Campus. A 44-yard dart from Danny Clark to Erick Rogers midway through the third quarter put Co-Lin up by six before sophomore linebacker Khehlan Kennedy broke the game wide open early in the fourth with a 71-yard fumble recovery for a score. Co-Lin is back at home next Thursday, September 5 as Northeast Community College, who won their opener against Southwest 19-13 in overtime, travels to Wesson. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. and fans can watch the game live at www.colinathletics.com/watch or listen live at WMJU 104.3 FM out of Brookhaven.
After a quick punt on Co-Lin’s first possession of 2019, the Holmes Bulldogs lit up the scoreboard with a 10-play, ground and pound, 64-yard drive that ended in a 1-yard dive from sophomore Terry Bryant. Easton Curry tacked on the extra point and gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.
The Wolves were unfazed as the team responded with a touchdown drive to knot the game. Co-Lin’s rushing attack shined as freshman Drexlan Allen broke back-to-back rushes of nine and 13 yards before sophomore JJ Jernighan got the Wolves close with rushes of 18 and nine yards. Clark connected with Kundarrius Taylor on a short toss from two-yards out for the score. Bryce Lofton added the PAT to tie the game at 7-all.
Three punts in a row, two from Holmes and one from Co-Lin, gave the Wolves possession at their own 14 with 9:12 remaining in the second quarter. Co-Lin marched the length of the new turf field with a balanced offensive scheme that once again effectively utilized both Allen’s and Jernighan’s running ability. Clark was 3-for-5 on the drive and Allen capped off the 86-yard trip down the field with an 8-yard run. With just 4:21 remaining in the half the Wolves led 14-7.
Holmes threatened late in the half with a drive, but the Bulldog’s 26-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds was blocked by Natron Brooks as time expired. The play got the fans on their feet in Stone Stadium and gave Co-Lin a lot of momentum heading into the locker room.
The Bulldogs capitalized on a short field after an interception in the third and once again used their run-heavy offense to march 48-yards on nine plays for a score. The touchdown tied the game at 14-14.
The Wolves snatched the momentum right back as Clark connected with Rogers on a third-and-10 situation. Rogers blew by his defender and Clark hit the freshman in stride for a 44-yard score. The extra point attempt was blocked by Holmes which put Co-Lin up 20-14 with 4:09 left in the third.
Co-Lin added another score early in the fourth as Holmes’ Bryant coughed up the ball. Co-Lin’s Kennedy recovered the fumble in stride and darted 71-yards for the score to stretch the lead to 27-14.
The Bulldogs got one score back in the final minutes of the game, but big plays from Co-Lin’s Hayden Hill, Lawilliam Holmes, and Keyshawn Brinkley at the goalline helped the clock rolling. A failed Holmes’ onside kick sealed the 27-21 Co-Lin win.
Co-Lin finished the game 5-for-12 (42%) on third downs and outgained the Bulldogs 319 yards to 300. Clark finished 15-27 with 196 yards, two scores, and one interception. Allen led the rushing attack for Co-Lin with 85 yards on 15 attempts and a score, while Jernighan posted 39. Antoine Robinson led the receiving corps with five catches for 55 yards, while Rogers and Taylor both finished with scores. Jordan Davis led the Wolves on the defensive front with 14 tackles and half a sack. Jalen Campbell and Brinkley wrapped up six tackles each.
The Wolves are looking for back-to-back wins to open the season for the first time since 2017 when Co-Lin defeated Mississippi Delta and Coahoma to start the year as Northeast travels to Wesson. Co-Lin is in South Division play in week three as the Wolves hit the road to take on Pearl River in Poplarville on September 12.
