For their second straight game, the Newton County Cougars could only manage to put two touchdowns on the board while the defense could not keep a lid on their opponents’ offense. Neshoba Central quarterback Austin Day rushed for a game-high 133 yards and two touchdowns including a 75-yard score late in the first half to help hand the Cougars a 39-14 loss in their home opener Friday night at Cougar Stadium.
In the first quarter, two Newton County penalties and a 22-yard run by Tyler Mathis helped set up his own 1-yard run for the Rockets’ first score. Later in the first, the Cougars fell into a deeper hole when quarterback Donavon McCoy faced heavy pressure and was picked off by Dekeon Kirk who returned the interception 45 yards for a score with 1:31 remaining in the quarter.
The Rockets struggled with PATs all night and missed their second straight to lead 12-0.
The Cougars special teams made a play early in the second quarter when they blocked the Rockets’ punt to set up the offense at the Neshoba County 25-yard line. However, the Cougars’ drive stalled and the two teams traded possessions for most of the quarter. The Cougars stopped the Rockets on fourth down to take over possession on their own 33-yard line. Newton County then went on a 10-play, 67-yard drive highlighted by a 25-yard catch by Tony Shelwood and a 16-yard run by Makindal Evans. Running back Chrisshun Burks capped off the drive and went off left tackle for a 2-yard touchdown plunge, and Garrett Mills booted the PAT to cut the Rocket’s lead to six with 39 second left.
However, it wouldn’t take long for the Rockets to stretch the lead back to double digits when, on the ensuing drive, Day found a hole up the middle and raced to the end zone to put Neshoba County up 19-7 with only nine seconds left.
Things got worse for the Cougars when they fumbled early in the third quarter and Ray Gibson recovered at the Newton County 47. Day again got loose for a long rushing score to put the Rockets up 25-7.
The Cougars answered with a nine play 62-yard drive capped off by Marcus Wash’s 6-yard run. Mills’ PAT cut the deficit to 25-14.
Huddleston pressured Day on a third down play to force the Rockets to punt midway through the third, but Neshoba County got its second defensive touchdown of the night when Jarquez Hunter picked off McCoy’s pass and returned it 41 yards for a score.
Mathis hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mills late in the third to finish off the scoring.
Burks led the Cougar offense with 112 yards rushing on 20 carries while Wash added 72 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
The Cougars will go back on the road on Friday to take on Scott Central.
