COLUMBUS — For two quarters, Pontotoc could do no wrong. Behind a balanced offense and a fast start from quarterback Austin Bean, the Warriors built a commanding lead and held off a late Columbus rally to secure a 28-20 victory Friday night.
Pontotoc established the tone immediately. After receiving the opening kickoff, quarterback Austin Bean found space on a pair of scrambles before cutting up the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 early. Columbus tried to answer, and senior quarterback Dkyren Henderson connected with wide receiver Cameron Mitchell on a short gain, but the Falcons stalled and were forced to punt.
The Warriors continued to move the ball with confidence behind the rushing combination of Kyan Roberson and Rylen Mounce. A strong push up front helped Pontotoc drive into Columbus territory again, but a mishandled handoff gave the Falcons a spark. Henderson led a short response with completions to Derek Waller and Michael Brewer Jr, but a drive-ending sack halted the momentum.
Pontotoc quickly regained control. Bean found tight end Mason Byrd to move the chains and then hit Roberson inside the numbers to set up goal-to-go territory. Early in the second quarter, Bean tucked it again and sprinted into the end zone for another score to extend the lead.
Columbus’ special team miscues added to the trouble. A muffed kickoff followed by consecutive false starts backed the Falcons deep, handing Pontotoc prime field position. Running back Llanden McGlown powered in for an eight-yard score, and minutes later a tipped Henderson pass resulted in an interception that set up yet another Warrior touchdown from fullback Brice Blackmon from two yards out. Pontotoc took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
At the break, Columbus head coach Barrin Simpson challenged his team to respond.
“I told them that they could play pretty good football when y’all lock in and focus,” Simpson said. “Just play together and do your job, and they bought it and they came out and did it.”
His words landed. The Falcons’ defense stiffened behind seniors Jamylon Sparks and Tyshaun Smith, forcing back-to-back punts and giving the offense room to breathe. Henderson began to settle into a rhythm, extending plays with his legs and finding receivers in stride. Early in the fourth quarter, he dropped a strike to receiver Jaylen Baldwin in the back of the end zone for Columbus’ first points of the night.
Moments later, Henderson found Mitchell on a slant route, and the senior wideout caught it in stride and raced 79 yards to the house as the Falcons clawed back into the game.
Columbus then recovered a muffed kickoff to keep pressure on. Henderson delivered two more completions to Brewer to move inside the 20, then kept it himself and powered across the goal line from five yards out. The two-point fake attempt was unsuccessful and the deficit remained eight. Pontotoc recovered the onside kick that followed and ran out the remaining clock.
Afterward, Simpson said his team has the ability to compete at the highest level when they play clean football.
“We can go out there and play with anybody if we do what we are supposed to do,” Simpson said. “We will just handle our job and do what we are supposed to do.”
For Columbus, the night became a lesson in resilience. After a difficult opening half, the Falcons found rhythm, belief and execution in the final quarter that they can build on moving forward as they prepare to face top-ranked West Point next week in their final regular season game.
Pontotoc 28, Columbus 20
Pontotoc (5–4) 14 14 0 0 — 28
Columbus (1–8) 0 0 0 20 — 20
First Quarter
PON — Bean 24-yard run (Chapin kick)
Second Quarter
PON — Bean 14-yard run (Chapin kick)
PON — McGlown 8-yard run (Chapin kick)
PON — Blackmon 2-yard run (Chapin kick)
Third Quarter
No scoring
Fourth Quarter
COL — Baldwin 14-yard pass from Henderson (Hairston kick)
COL — Mitchell 79-yard pass from Henderson (Hairston kick)
COL — Henderson 5-yard run (two-point fake failed)
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