Box Score SENATOBIA – Despite owning the edge in total yards, time of possession, first downs and third down coversions, visiting Mississippi Delta scored 26 unanswered and took advantage of four Ranger turnovers to stun Northwest 34-27 on Homecoming at Bobby Franklin Field on Saturday afternoon.

Delta snapped a 7-game losing streak to Northwest and picked up its first win of the year to move to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the north, while Northwest fell to 1-5 and 1-3 in the division. 

Northwest scored touchdowns on two of its first three possessions and took a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Damian Baker rushed in from a yard out and Karsten Miller found Josh Hamilton for an 18-yard touchdown strike that capped a 13-play, 80-yard drive over 8:05.

But Delta would respond to pull within a point at halftime, 14-13, as Edward McCadney scored rushing touchdowns from 49 and 6 yards out.

The Trojans jumped out in front for the first time at the 5:59-mark of the third quarter as Jaylon Daniels hit Passarrio Collins down the Ranger sideline for 74 yards after a defender slipped down in the secondary. 

Delta would cap 26 unanswered points just 1:05 later as Jalon Jones stepped in front of Miller's pass and raced 64 yards for a score to put the Trojans up 26-14.

Thanks to a 50-yard return from Marcel Newson on the ensuing kickoff, Northwest had good field position and capitalized seven plays later. Miller hit Hamilton for a second time, this one from 9 yards out, to pull the Rangers within 26-21 heading to the fourth quarter.

After the Ranger defense held strong from its own 10-yard line and forced Delta to turn it over on downs, Northwest would come marching down the field for the go-ahead score. 

Delta helped Northwest out on a running into the kicker penalty on 4th-and-3 and kept the drive alive which allowed Miller to find Baker for a 15-yard touchdown pass and a 27-26 lead with 9:29 to play.

The ensuing Trojans drive went 55 yards on 7 plays as Jaylon Daniels and McCadney took Delta down for the 34-27 lead with 5:50 to play. A pass interference penalty on Northwest aided the drive.

Northwest had one final chance to tie the game or possibly force overtime with 1:45 left and no timeouts.

Starting from their own 29-yard line, Miller moved the Rangers down to the Delta 14-yard line with big completions to Kentrell Spencer and Derrell Lovelady. But Miller's final pass to D'Montrise Swinney with 5 seconds left was caught around the 3-yard line before the sophomore was tackled at the 1-yard line to end the game.

Northwest out-gained Delta 430-324 on the day, ran 32 more plays, had the ball 14:10 longer, owned third down conversions but turned it over four times which proved to be the difference.
 
Northwest will take to the road next Saturday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. facing Holmes for Homecoming.