LAKE CORMORANT — Michael Mosley scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, and Columbus benefited from a bad snap on Lake Cormorant’s overtime possession to notch a huge 27-26 district win on the road Friday.
Mosley’s score put the Falcons (3-5) up 27-20 on the Gators (4-4), who scored a touchdown but couldn’t convert on the PAT. Columbus is now in a four-way tie for the final two playoff spots in Class 5A, Region 1, with a 2-2 district record.
For the Falcons, quarterback Ethan Conner threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Joshua McCrary, and Conner hauled in a receiving touchdown of his own on a 48-yard throw by Omari Williams. Jakaylin Lewis’ 49-yard touchdown run was the Falcons’ other score.
On Friday, Columbus will host district foe West Point (8-1), which with a 4-0 record in the region has already clinched a playoff spot.
Center Hill 34, New Hope 7
OLIVE BRANCH — New Hope’s only touchdown in Friday’s road game against Center Hill came on fourth and long in the second quarter as the Mustangs (5-4) routed the Trojans (3-6) by a score of 34-7.
Center Hill jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and led 21-7 at halftime. The Mustangs added two more scores in the second half.
For Center Hill, Tucker Henley caught a 40-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, and Troy Martin had a 28-yard score in the fourth quarter.
No stats were available for New Hope despite attempts to reach coaches.
New Hope will host No. 4 Lafayette (6-2) on Friday.
Pontotoc 24, Caledonia 21
PONTOTOC — Caledonia quarterback Brandon Edmondson passed for a touchdown and ran for another, but the Confederates (4-4) came up three points short in Friday’s road district game with Pontotoc (4-4).
Edmondson found Wes Rollins on a 36-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, one of his four completions for 72 yards, and ran in a 1-yard score in the first quarter. He finished with 29 carries for 117 yards on the ground.
Darrius Triplett finished with 10 carries for 113 yards, including a touchdown run of 41 yards in the second quarter, and caught two passes for 19 yards.
Anthony Triplett had four carries for 26 yards, Kewon Wyatt had four carries for 18 yards, and Darquez Williams had two carries for seven yards. Anthony Triplett caught Edmondson’s other completion, a 17-yard pass.
Rollins missed a field goal but made all three of his extra-point attempts.
On defense, Dillon May led the ‘Feds in tackles with 13 and also had an interception. Ayden Coleman had nine tackles, including two tackles for a loss, and Brandon Chrest had seven tackles, including two tackles for a loss.
The ‘Feds are 1-2 in district play. They have won all four home games this season and lost all four road games. Caledonia will travel to face South Pontotoc (1-8) on Friday.
Noxubee County 48, Hatley 21
MACON — Marlon Windham passed for three touchdowns and ran for another, and a 22-point second quarter buoyed Noxubee County (5-4) to a 48-21 home win over Hatley (4-5) in Friday’s homecoming game for the Tigers.
Windham finished 5 of 14 passing for 109 yards and three scores and ran six times for 145 yards and a touchdown.
Bobby Shanklin had a rushing score and a 10-yard receiving score for the Tigers, finishing with seven carries for 45 yards on the ground.
Macardi Johnson had two catches for 66 yards and a score, and Derrick Shanklin had a rushing score and finished with two carries for 25 yards.
On defense, Trillo Brown had eight tackles, and Kevarious Harris had six. Zack Andrews intercepted a pass for the Tigers.
Noxubee County, 2-0 in district play, will travel to face district foe Choctaw County (6-3) on Friday in Ackerman.
Noxapater 31, West Lowndes 16
NOXAPATER — West Lowndes (7-2) suffered its second loss of the season Friday, a 31-16 road defeat at second-ranked Noxapater (7-2).
Marquez Shelton had a 50-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Jherquaveus Sanders finished with five catches for 60 yards and added five carries for 16 yards.
Quarterback Melvin Crawford finished with 165 passing yards and one interception. Decamby Willis had two catches for 24 yards, Albert Plair had one catch for 22 yards, and Kelvin Wilburn caught one pass for 14 yards.
On the ground, Marcquez Holiday led the team with 20 carries for 50 yards. Plair had seven carries for 22 yards, Wilburn had four carries for 18 yards, and Crawford had one carry for 6 yards.
Noxapater’s KD Carter opened the scoring with a 24-yard run in the first quarter before Shelton and the Panthers equalized. The Tigers went on to score twice more before halftime, opening up a 19-8 lead.
West Lowndes scored its second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late as the Tigers added six points in each of the third and fourth quarters.
The Panthers will travel to face Okolona (3-5) on Friday.
Central Holmes Christian 56, Oak Hill Academy 27
WEST POINT — Cameron Dill had two touchdown passes and a rushing score, but Oak Hill Academy (2-7) saw its defense struggle in Friday’s 56-27 home loss to Central Holmes Christian (6-3).
Dill found Manning Huffman for a 12-yard score and connected with Jamarcus Loyd for a 17-yard touchdown as well as running it in for a 5-yard score. Jonah Caskey’s 3-yard touchdown run was the Raiders’ other score.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” Oak Hill coach Chris Craven said. “We made some plays and did some things really well, but we didn’t win the turnover battle and struggled stopping their run game.
“We played hard to the very end. I’m very proud of them for that. They never quit.”
The Raiders’ final game of the regular season will be Friday at Winona Christian (7-2).
Ezekiel Academy (Ala.) 62, Victory Christian 16
Victory Christian lost Friday’s home game to Ezekiel Academy (Montgomery, Alabama) 62-16, dropping to 5-4 on the season.
Ezekiel scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters and 20 points in the third to open up a big lead.
For the Eagles, Nadarion Higgins caught a 21-yard pass from Drake Clements, and Clements ran in an 18-yard score.
Houston Ballard had five catches for 70 yards and converted the two-point try on Clements’ score. Dallas Colom led Victory Christian in rushing with 10 carries for 23 yards.
Lahndon Townley was the Eagles’ leading tackler Friday with nine tackles.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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