The Leflore County Tigers fought hard in a close game against Humphreys County Friday night, but running back Roderick Washington eventually wore down the home team's defense as Humphreys won 34-30.
Both teams are now 1-1.
Leflore County broke out on top in its first possession of the game, taking over around the Humphreys 30. On the team's third play from scrimmage, quarterback Sergio Freeman scrambled and found Onesimus Applewhite in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown. The Tigers also succeeded on the two-point conversion on a pass from Freeman to Henry Purnell to go ahead 8-0.
Humphreys County evened the score on its next drive. The Cowboys started inside their own 30, but a long pass from Donta Reed to Luther Dodd gave them a first down at the Leflore 37. On the next play, Reed completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jamon Hughes to make it 8-8 with 7:47 left in the quarter.
Humphreys County pulled ahead 14-8 about two minutes later when Washington broke loose for a 74-yard touchdown run. But Leflore inched back closer on a safety after Derrick Cooper recovered a fumbled Humphreys County snap in the end zone.
On their first drive of the second quarter, the Tigers moved into the Cowboys' territory on a 23-yard pass over the middle to Purnell. Later, on third-and-12, Purnell caught another pass and appeared to be wrapped up near the sideline - but he spun away and made it into the end zone to put his team ahead 16-14.
The Tigers built their lead near the end of the first half. As Humphreys County's Reed was trying to escape a rush on third-and-14, he lobbed a desperation pass across the field that landed in the arms of Leflore County's Dennis Miller. Miller wove around defenders for a 65-yard score. The two-point conversion on a throw to Purnell extended the lead to 24-14.
The game seesawed in the second half. In the third quarter, after a 49-yard pass to Washington, Humphreys had a first down at the Leflore County 27. Moments later, Washington scored on an 8-yard run, and the Cowboys also converted the two-point play to narrow the deficit to 24-22.
The Cowboys reclaimed the lead 28-24 near the end of the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Washington, but Leflore County mounted another drive on its next possession.
An interception by Dodd appeared to stall the drive, but it was nullified by a penalty. Behind the running of Freeman and Damian Dudley and one reception by Cooper, Leflore moved to the 8-yard line for first-and-goal. Three plays later, Freeman sped around the right side for a score, putting his team ahead again, 30-28.
But Washington kept doing more damage running up the middle as the game wore on. On the next drive, which covered 72 yards, he had more than 30 yards on four carries, caught a pass and completed another. But another running back, Travis Burgess, capped the scoring with a touchdown run of about 2 yards.
The Tigers had a little over a minute to rally, but Applewhite fumbled on the first play, and Humphreys County ran out the clock.
The Tigers finished with more than 300 yards of total offense. Applewhite caught three passes for 60 yards, Purnell added two receptions for 50 yards, and Miller had three for 30 more.
Leflore County's coach, John Phillips, who serves in the National Guard, was out of town from Tuesday morning through Sunday helping with hurricane relief efforts at Camp Shelby. He said he heard some of the players didn't practice as hard as they should have in his absence.
"Kids have the tendency to be kids," he said.
But he added that his young players are eager to learn and are making progress. In his first season, he has had to replace 10 offensive players from last year's squad. "You can't put together a whole offensive team in little time," he said.
Next, the Tigers go on the road to face West Bolivar.
