By Amy Thrash, Sports Reporter • amy@southerntorch.com (Photo by Amy Thrash)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Fort Payne Wildcats defeated the Mae Jemison Jaguars 48-47 in region play last Friday night. The Wildcats are now 2-0 in Region Play.
In the first quarter, Jordan Bain found Levee Hall for a 17-yard touchdown pass giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead with 4:43 left in the first. The Jaguars struck back with a 71-yard run tying the game with 2:23 remaining in the first. The Wildcats answered back when Bain threw a 60-yard pass to Carter Pinholster to make the score 14-7 with 1:22 left in the first.
In the second quarter with 9:43 remaining, Winchester made his first touchdown of the night giving the Wildcats a 21-14 lead. With 5:24 remaining in the first half, the Jaguars touchdown run cut the score by 7, making the score 21-14. With 3:05 left in the second Winchester scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. The Wildcats went for 2 but failed making the score 27-14. Mae Jemison scored again,but their extra point was blocked by Levee Hall to make the score 27-20 at the half.
To start the third quarter, the Jaguars scored to tie the game 27-27. Fort Payne’s Jordan Bain found Carter Pinholster with a 20-yard pass to make the score 34-27. Mae Jemison answered back with another touchdown run, but the extra point was blocked again by the Wildcats to make the score 34-33. With 4:21 remaining in the third, Pinholster returned a 98-yard kickoff return making the score 41-33.
With 5:52 left in the fourth, the Jaguars scored once again on a 15-yard touchdown run. The Jaguars went for two, but the Wildcats stood their ground to make the stop. The Wildcats still had the 41-39 lead. With 1:40 remaining in the game The Jaguars scored and went for two to make the score 47-41. In the final seconds of the game, Bain threw a 40-yard Hail Mary to Winchester to tie the game 47-47. Alex McPherson made the extra point to win the game 48-47.
“I was proud of our players for not giving up and finding a way to win in the final seconds of the game,” said Head Coach Chris Elmore. “With 2 minutes left in the game, it didn’t look good for us, but the players kept playing and found a way to make a play to win the game. Great job by our players and assistant coaches.”
Coach Elmore’s Offensive Player of the Week is Jordan Bain. Bain was 17 for 18 for 291 yards and 5 touchdowns including the 40-yard game winning pass. The Defensive Player of the Week is Levee Hall. He lead the team in tackles and also blocked an extra point.
Donald Winchester scored 3 touchdowns, including the game winning touchdown from Bain and Carter Pinholster scored 3 touchdowns including the 98-yard kickoff return touchdown.
After a bye week, the Fort Payne Wildcats will host the Etowah Blue Devils on September 28 at 7pm.
