War Eagles hold off Panthers

By By Dale McKee/sports writer
November 15, 2003
BROOKHAVEN The Wayne County War Eagles held off the Brookhaven Panthers, 25-20, here Friday night in the second round of the South State Class 4A Mississippi High School football playoffs.
The War Eagles' offense has often been overshadowed by a dominating defensive unit, but they emerged from the shadows when they took the ball with 5:56 to play in the game.
Clinging to a five-point lead, Wayne County had its most productive drive of the game. Wayne County moved from their own 50 yard line to the Panthers' 11 and used up the remaining 5:56 that was left in the game.
They ran 12 plays in the fatal non-scoring drive using senior runningbacks Michael McLaughlin and Jerrod Sims to control the clock and keep the ball away from the Panthers and their star quarterback Jimmy Johns.
Wayne County (11-1) will travel to George County next week in the third round of the 4A playoffs. The Rebels scored a late fourth period touchdown to top Quitman 21-14 last night.
Brookhaven took the opening kickoff and marched for the first of three Jimmy Johns runs for scores.
Wayne quickly tied the score behind the running of McLaughlin. The Panthers took advantage of a Wayne County special teams turnover to take a 13-7 lead after the opening period.
The War Eagles then scored twice in the second period to take a 19-13 intermission lead.
Wayne County scored with four minutes to play in the third period when Sims scored from the five.
The scoring drive was 35 yards and took seven plays with McLaughlin and Sims taking turns running the ball. The Panthers fumbled a punt at their own 28-yard line, and Kevin Johnson recovered for the War Eagles setting up the score.
Wayne County tried a two-point conversion, but it failed, leaving them with a 25-13 lead entering the final period.
Brookhaven cut the margin to five points with 9:18 to play when Johns scored from the 5-yard line finishing up a 68-yard seven-play drive. The kick cut the lead to 25-20.
The Panthers forced the War Eagles to punt with 6:09 to play in the game and took over on their 15-yard line. Three incomplete passes later, the Panthers punted for the final time, and WC took over at midfield to run out the clock.
The Panthers dented the scoreboard in the first period by driving 75 yards in seven plays to score on Jimmy Johns' touchdown run of 15 yards.
Johns had a 50-yard pass completion on the drive. The score came only three minutes and ten seconds into the game.
Wayne bounced back really quick to score on a two-play, 65-yard drive.
Michael McLaughlin was the scoring drive for the War Eagles by busting loose on runs of 26 and 24 yards. The score came on McLaughlin's 24-yard run with 8:33 left in the opening period.
The Panthers were forced to punt on their next offensive series, but the kick bounced of a War Eagle player, and the home team recovered at the WC 10-yard line.
Three plays later, Johns had the Panthers' second touchdown on a 6-yard run increasing their lead to 13-7 with 4:01 to play in the opening period. The kick conversion was blocked by the War Eagles.
Wayne scored twice in the second period to take the lead despite having the ball for only seven minutes in the first half.
WC missed a field goal on the opening play of the second period from 26 yards after moving from their own 45 yard line. Senior defensive back Tristian Rogers helped WC tie the score when he returned a Brookhaven
punt 51 yards with 11:47 to play. The kick conversion was blocked keeping the score tied at 13-13.
Wayne County moved ahead with 6:29 to play in the half when Jerrod Sims scored from the 3-yard line. The drive took only five plays and traveled only 28 yards. The touchdown was set up when Brookhaven only managed
an 8-yard punt from their own 20-yard line. The kick failed leaving Wayne ahead 19-13.
Brookhaven threatened late in the half, but WC stopped the Panthers at the War Eagle 23 to take a six-point lead into the intermission.
Wayne County rushed for 175 yards with McLaughlin rushing for 98 yards on 20 totes. Sims added 66 yards on 13 carries. Drexler Johnson was 4-of -10 passing for 35 yards. It was the lowest offensive output of the year for the winners.
Brookhaven (9-3)rushed for 56 yards but was 8-of-18 passing for 157 yards.