Bobcats hold off Bulldogs

By By Shawn Wansley / EMG Sports Writer
Nov. 2, 2003
PERKINSTON Leading 20-13 with just under five minutes to play, the Jones Junior College Bobcats needed to keep the ball away from the hard-charging Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs. Enter Wayne County freshman Akeem Lofton.
Lofton came into the game at quarterback and promptly engineered a 92-yard, eight-play drive, capped by his own 26-yard touchdown run to help the
Bobcats beat Gulf Coast 27-13 Saturday afternoon before a Homecoming crowd at Bulldog Stadium.
The victory gives Jones a 7-2 record for the season, 4-2 in the South Division. Gulf Coast ends the year at 2-7 and 1-5 in the division.
For the game, JCJC freshman running back Harold Hadley rushed 16 times for 86 yards, and Lofton carried four times for 76 yards all on the final touchdown drive. Punter Ben Beasley averaged 45 yards per kick on four attempts.
Gulf Coast quarterback Kalvin Woods completed 20-of-46 passes for 216 yards. Brandon Biggs had eight receptions for 115 yards for the Bulldogs.
Jones got on the board on its second possession of the game. Brandon McDonald field a short Gulf Coast punt and returned it 10 yards to the Bulldogs' 28. Seven plays later, Jordan Dennis booted a 30 yard field goal to give Jones a 3-0 lead with 7:51 left in the first quarter.
Two possessions later, the Bobcats drove for another field goal. This time, they marched from their own 38 to the Bulldog 24 where they drive stalled.
Dennis then kicked a 41-yard field goal to put the Bobcats up 6-0 with 19 seconds left in the first quarter. A 37-yard pass from quarterback Derek Boykin to Milton Collins was the key play of the drive.
Two possessions later, Jones got into the end zone. They drove 42 yards in nine plays. Boykin did the honors from four yards out. Dennis added the extra point and Jones was up 13-0 with 5:23 left in the first half.
Jones started the second half in fine fashion. Boykin kept on option play to his left, cut back to the middle and raced 16 yards for a touchdown. Dennis' kick made it 20-0 with 10:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Gulf Coast then made it interesting. Late in the third quarter, the Bulldogs started a drive at their own 25. Ten plays later, Woods connected with Richard Dedeaux on a 16-yard touchdown pass. Christopher Symmes made the extra point and Jones led 20-7, with 13:26 left in the game.
On the Bulldogs' next possession, they faced a fourth-and-1 at the Jones' 47, but the Bobcats stuffed them on a rushing attempt and took over on downs.
From there the Bobcats drove to the Gulf Coast 24. Dennis then attempted a 41-yard field goal attempt, but it was blocked and the Bulldogs took over on their own 30.
Seven plays later, Gulf Coast was in the end zone again. This time, Woods hit Vernon Jones on a 28-yard touchdown pass. The extra point attempt was wide, but the Bulldogs were down 20-13 with 4:37 left.
On the kickoff, Jones took over on their own 8. That's when Lofton came in and led Jones down the field for the clinching score.