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WESSON – The Co-Lin Football team hosted Hinds for their home opener in Stone Stadium on Thursday, September 12. The No. 15 Wolves pitched their second shutout of the 2024 season and second straight against the Eagles taking the game, 48-0.
The Wolves wasted no time getting on the board as Zyrian Jackson (Hazlehurst) returned the opening kickoff 83 yards to give the Wolves the ball on the Eagles seven-yard line. Two plays later, Tray Minor (Natchez) powered the ball in from four yards out for the first touchdown of the game while the PAT by Humberto Rosales (McCalla, AL) was good giving the Wolves a 7-0 lead with 14:03 left in the first quarter.
The Wolves defense then forced their first of two turnovers by the Eagles as Malachi Williams (Brookhaven) forced a fumble after a completed pass on the Eagles 34-yard line. Lakendrick James (Shelby) then recovered the ball and returned it to the Eagles one-yard line. Que Tillman (West Point) then powered the ball into the endzone while another PAT by Rosales extended the Wolves lead to 14-0 with 10:42 left in the first quarter.
The Wolves then added their third touchdown of the quarter as Will Loy (Wesson) connected with Jordan Richardson (Gainesville, FL) on a 19-yard scoring pass to complete a six play, 70-yard drive. However, the PAT was missed as the Wolves lead stood at 20-0 with 1:55 remaining in the first quarter.
That score held throughout the remainder of the first quarter and through majority of the second quarter until the Wolves added a touchdown late in the second as Minor scampered in from five yards out to end a five play, 34-yard drive. A successful PAT increased the lead to 27-0 with 3:48 remaining in the first half. That score stood as both teams entered the locker rooms at halftime.
The Wolves defense then got involved on the scoring in the third quarter as Malachi Williams forced a second fumble of the game while Fernando Washington (Macon, GA) recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown. Another successful PAT gave the Wolves a 34-0 lead with left to play in the quarter.
The Wolves final two touchdowns of the game both came in the fourth quarter via the running game as Deantre Jackson, Jr., (Marrero, LA) scored from 24 yards out to end a six play, 49-yard drive while the PAT gave the Wolves a 41-0 lead with 14:38 left to play. The Wolves then went exclusively to Minor on their next drive as he scored from 34 yards out to cap off a six play, 72-yard drive. The final successful PAT gave the Wolves a 48-0 lead with 5:28 remaining. The Wolves defense then forced a three-and-out on the final possession by the Eagles to seal the 48-0 victory.
Will Loy completed eight of 14 pass attempts for 123 yards with one touchdown while Tray Minor had one of his two best performances in a Wolves uniform with 113 yard on 15 carries (his second-highest totals for those stats) and a career-high three touchdowns. Deauntre Jackson, Jr., barely missed the 100-yard mark with 13 carries for 92 yards with one touchdown while Dezmond Ray (Itta Bena) had 27 yards on seven carries and Que Tillman had a one-yard touchdown rush.
The eight completions for Loy went to eight different receivers as Matt Mayfield (Sunset, LA) had 35 yards, Jabraxton Boone (Forest) had 24 yards, Elijah Lagg (Mountain Home, AR) had 21 yards, and Jordan Richardson had 19 yards with one touchdown.
The Wolves defense once again proved to be a force to be reckoned with allowing the Eagles just 135 yards of total offense (89 passing and 46) rushing while forcing two turnovers. Malachi Williams led the way for the unit with a career night for the Wolves as he had a career-high 12 tackles and forced both turnovers for the defense with two forced fumbles. Williams also had two tackles for loss. Lakendrick James had nine total tackles and led the defense in tackles for loss and sacks with 3.5 and 2.5 respectively to go along with his 33-yard return on a fumble recovery. Tre Webb (New Orleans, LA), Rakeem Davis (Port Gibson), and Bryce Hooker (Biloxi) had four tackles each. Lonnie Smith (Jackson) had 0.5 sacks while Damien Gill (Miami, FL) had one sack while Fernando Washington had a one-yard touchdown return on a fumble recovery.
Co-Lin improves to 2-1 overall and will be back on the road next week facing off against Jones. Kickoff between the No. 15 Wolves and No. 10 Bobcats is set for 7 p.m., at Sim Cooley Field at Bobcat Stadium in Ellisville.
Photo credit: Chuck Barnes Photography
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