Wolves Upset Fourth Ranked Bulldogs

PERKINSTON – The Co-Lin Football team returned to South Division play with a road match against No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on Thursday, October 12. The Wolves beat the previously undefeated Bulldogs, 28-23.

The game saw both offenses have a few early struggles against the defenses while the Bulldogs looked to put the first points on the board, but a 44-yard field goal attempt was missed wide left early in the first quarter.

The Wolves broke through first as the defense got the scoring started. After Billy Pullen (Kaufman, TX) forced a fumble on a rush by the Bulldogs quarterback, Dedric Hicks (Laurel) scooped the ball up and sprinted 38 yards down the field for a touchdown. A successful PAT by Brandon Gilliam (Vicksburg) made the score, 7-0 with 6:22 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs then tied the game on their next possession with a 57-yard scoring rush and successful PAT. The score stood at 7-7 with 5:07 remaining in the quarter.

The game remained tied until the Bulldogs took a 10-7 lead on a 19-yard field goal with 8:06 left in the second quarter. However, the Bulldogs lead was short-lived as the Wolves scored on the next possession of the game. Johnnie Daniels found the endzone on a 65-yard scoring rush while breaking several tackles along the way. The successful PAT by Gilliam capped off a two play, 75-yard drive and gave the Wolves a 14-10 lead with 7:15 left in the first half.

The Wolves never relinquished the lead for the remainder of the game as the teams went into the locker rooms with the score standing at 14-10 at halftime.

The Wolves then extended their lead with the opening possession of the third quarter as DeVon Tott (Mandeville, LA) completed a 25-yard scoring pass on a flea flicker to Tyler Fortenberry (Brookhaven) to end a ten play, 75-yard drive that saw Fortenberry collect 53 yards on two catches. Another successful PAT made the score 21-10 with 10:36 left in the third quarter.

After Zavion Shaw (Terry) forced a fumble on a completion during the Bulldogs next drive, Navarion Benson (Crystal Springs) recovered the ball and returned it 29 yards to setup the Wolves offense deep in Bulldogs territory at the MGCCC 23-yard line. The Wolves then scored on the ensuing drive as Tott found Jaylen Smith (Jacksonville, FL) from four yards out for a touchdown. Another successful PAT by Gilliam gave the Wolves a 28-10 lead with 7:37 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs attempted comeback then began as they scored with a 70-yard rush early in the fourth quarter. The PAT was good cutting the Wolves lead down to 28-17 with 10:53 left in the game. The Bulldogs then cut into the lead again with a 65-yard interception return; however, the Bulldogs came up short on a two-point conversion attempt making the score, 28-23, with 6:08 left.

The Bulldogs then got the ball back for one more drive looking to take the lead late from the Wolves; however, the Wolves defense stood strong forcing back-to-back incompletions from the Wolves 13-yard line to force a turnover on downs. The Wolves then kneeled the ball to run the clock out and secure the 28-23 upset win over the No. 4 Bulldogs.

DeVon Tott finished the game with 22 completions on 31 attempts for 184 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Johnnie Daniels led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown.

Tyler Fortenberry led the receiving corps with three receptions for 52 yards with one touchdown while Carlos Martin (Laurel) had six receptions for 43 yards and Jaylen Smith had had five receptions for 36 yards with one touchdown.

Jahron Manning (New Orleans, LA) led the Wolves defense with 11 total tackles, his second straight game with double-digit tackles, while Billy Pullen and Collin McGowan (Wesson) had five total tackles each with Pullen adding one tackle for loss to his night. Navarion Benson, Kaden Dukes (Petal), Malachi Williams (Brookhaven), and Kevontay Wells (Jackson) had four total tackles each.

Billy Pullen, Zavion Shaw, and Christopher Burnett (Yazoo City) had one forced fumble each while Dedric Hicks and Navarion Benson recovered two of those fumbles.

Co-Lin improves to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in South Division play and will return to action hosting Pearl River on Thursday, October 19. The action between the Wildcats and Wolves kicks off at 6:30 p.m., at H.L. Stone Stadium in Wesson.