On 4th down with the season at stake, Leflore County quarterback D.J. Jones delivered a clutch 45-yard touchdown pass, lifting the Tigers to a 24-22 victory over host Charleston and punching their ticket to Hattiesburg for their first state championship appearance in school history.
“That’s why I called that play, because I knew he’d deliver for me,” fifth-year coach Eric House said. “It was a play we talk about in practice, and all we had to do was execute. And I tell you, he executed, and now we’re moving on.”
Leflore rallied back from deficits in the first, third and fourth quarters to advance to the Class 2A finals at Southern Mississippi, where they’ll face undefeated Scott Central next Saturday.
“Itta Bena’s a small town — never had nothing, never been nothing,” Jones said. “But ever since we were little, we’ve been winning. It’s in us. So we just want to bring a championship back for the community.”
Nothing went right for the Tigers (10-3) early as they fell into an 8-0 hole in the first quarter and failed to convert a red zone turnover into points due to penalty issues. But do-it-all senior Dekari “Turbo” Johnson sparked Leflore’s offense with a few crazy completions while scrambling around the pocket, the first of which went for a 32-yard touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Tavion Dean. The ensuing 2-point run by junior running back Dezmond Ray tied the game at 8-8 headed into halftime.
“We just put it all on the line,” Johnson said. “Not wanting to go down, I fought hard for my team. If somebody was going to tackle me, I kept fighting and tried to find somebody open. They were great catches, too, because they weren’t terrific balls.”
On the opening drive of the second half, Charleston (9-4) marched down field in just two minutes to reclaim a 14-8 edge early in the third quarter. Leflore answered right back, though, again carried by Johnson’s creative playmaking abilities. With the Tigers just outside the red zone, Johnson escaped pressure to connect with fullback Ivory Lampkin on an improbable diving catch to set up a short touchdown run by Ray. Their 2-point conversion try was pushed back due to a false start, but Johnson converted anyway by throwing up a prayer to D’Rion Freeman as he was being dragged to the ground.
“Me and Turbo have been playing together since little league,” Lampkin said. “When you see Turbo’s feet move, you move. You get out of the way and you let him work his magic. That’s how he got his name. He’s going to take us all the way.”
Leflore’s first lead of the evening, 16-14, didn’t last long as Charleston responded with a touchdown drive to pull ahead, 22-16, with just under eight minutes to play. After trading 3 and outs, the Tigers had one last possession to put points on the board and save their season, but they ran into a fourth down around midfield. That’s when Jones found Dean for a 45-yard touchdown, sending the Leflore faithful packed in the stands into a frenzy. The ensuing 2-point conversion run sealed the come-from-behind win in dramatic fashion.
“It feels good to step up as a sophomore with the game on the line,” said Dean, who hauled in three catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns. “It felt like I was there for a reason.”
Leflore County senior Dekari “Turbo” Johnson totaled 114 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ 24-22 win at Charleston in Friday night’s Class 2A semifinals.
Johnson finished with 47 rushing yards on 11 totes while completing 3 of 3 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. Jones completed 8 of 17 passes for 77 yards and a score.
The Tigers are the first local public school to make a state championship appearance since Greenwood High in 1988.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Johnson said as the sea of red poured onto the field. “It’s surreal. I’m just enjoying the moment.”
- Contact Riley Overend 662-581-7237 or roverend@gwcommonwealth.com.
