Wolves End Season With Thrilling Win Over Eagles

WESSON – The Co-Lin Football team ended the 2022 regular season by hosting Hinds on Thursday, October 27. The Wolves honored their sophomore team members before the game and punctuated the night with a thrilling 28-21 win over the Eagles.

The Eagles got on the board first as they took their opening possession and drove 62 yards on nine plays ending in a 20-yard scoring rush and a successful PAT to take a 7-0 lead with 10:15 remaining in the first quarter.

The Wolves responded late in the quarter as sophomore quarterback DeVon Tott (Mandeville, LA) connected with freshman receiver Jaylen Smith (Jacksonville, FL) on a 12-yard scoring pass completing a 13 play, 84-yard drive that was setup by sophomore linebacker Nate White (Orlando, FL) recovering an Eagles fumble forced freshman defensive back Davion Roby (Kosciusko). The successful PAT by sophomore kicker Dylan Wasson (Germantown) tied the game at 7-7 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

The game then stayed tie for much of the remaining time left in the first half as the opposing defenses forced five straight combined punts by the two offensive units. The Wolves broke the tie with just a few seconds remaining in the first half as Tott scampered in from five yards out completing a nine play, 66-yard drive while the successful PAT by Wasson gave the Wolves a 14-7 lead with nine seconds left until halftime.

The Wolves received the second half kickoff, but a pass by Tott was intercepted on the first play of the opening drive leading to the Eagles tying the game with a two-yard scoring rush and successful PAT making the score 14-14 with 13:07 left in the third quarter.

The Wolves regained the lead midway through the third quarter as Tott completed his second touchdown pass of the game as he connected with sophomore tight end Harold Rhodes (Silver Creek) from seven yards out. The pass completed a five play, 78-yard drive and the successful PAT by Wasson gave the Wolves a 21-14 lead with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter. However, the Eagles responded by tying the game once again with a three-yard touchdown rush to end a six play, 46-yard drive setup by a Wolves fumble. The successful PAT made the score 21-21 with one second remaining in the third quarter.

The final score for the Wolves came midway through the fourth quarter as freshman running back Johnnie Daniels (Crystal Springs) made several members of the Eagles defense whiff on potential tackles on a 46-yard scoring rush. The run capped off a five play, 79-yard drive that was setup by a missed field goal by the Eagles while another Wasson PAT gave the Wolves a 28-21 lead with 7:17 left in the game. The Wolves defense then forced a punt and a turnover on downs by the Eagles on their final two possessions of the games allowing the Wolves offense to run out the clock and secure the 28-21 win.

DeVon Tott completed 13 of 24 pass attempts for 207 yards with two touchdowns and one interception along with seven carries for six yards with one touchdown. Johnnie Daniels led the Wolves in both rushing and receiving yards as he went for a combined 178 yards on 16 touches with 86 rushing yards on 13 carries and 92 receiving yards on three receptions.

Sophomore running back Bobby Shanklin, Jr. (Macon), had 43 yards on 12 carries while sophomore receiver James Singleton, Jr. (Natchez) and freshman receiver Carlos Martin (Laurel) had 33 receiving yards on two and three receptions respectively. Freshman receivers Cade Dedeaux (Sumrall) and Jaylen Smith along with sophomore receiver Tyquan Henderson (Canton), sophomore running back Kyjuan Herndon (Jacksonville, FL), and sophomore tight end Harold Rhodes had one reception each with Rhodes lone reception being a touchdown.

Sophomore linebacker Ja'Len Sims (Birmingham, AL) led the Wolves with nine total tackles while sophomore defensive lineman Kadarius Miller (Magnolia) added seven total tackles. Sophomore linebacker Jamal Pye (Byhalia) had six total tackles and freshman defensive back Davion Roby had five total tackles and a forced fumble. Sophomore defensive back Ques McNeal (Ackerman) had one interception with a 31-yard return for the Wolves defense while the unit also had five sacks from a trio of sophomore defensive linemen as Travorus Hatcher (Macon) and Jordan Magee (Magee) had two sacks each and Liquori Young (Jackson) had a strip sack of the Eagles quarterback, but the Eagles recovered the ball on the play.

Co-Lin finishes the season 5-4 overall, 3-3 in South Division play.