Box Score SENATOBIA – Treston DeCoud's 15-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter provided the go-ahead score as part of 28 unanswered points to help Northwest rally for a 45-31 victory over Itawamba on Homecoming Saturday. | DeCoud Interview | Crawford Interview

Northwest picked up its first win of the season and first for head coach Jack Wright to improve to 1-3 overall (1-1 north). The win also snapped a 9-game losing skid dating back to last year, the longest streak in 51 years.

Itawamba (1-3, 1-1) led 14-3 after a quarter of play, using the legs of quarterback D'Andre Belton who scored a pair of rushing touchdowns from 15 and 1-yard out.

Northwest's first touchdown of the day was setup by Brandon Mack's interception in the second quarter when he stepped in front of a Belton pass and returned it 18 yards to the ICC 19-yard line. One play later, Karsten Miller hit Jacob McCrary for a 19-yard touchdown strike. 

Itawamba stretched its lead back out to 21-10 with 6:37 to play in the half when Cartin McBride blocked a punt and Tre Bogan scooped and scored from 26 yards out. 

Another interception, this one by Tino Thomas Jr., led to the Rangers' second TD score. Northwest proceeded to drive 70 yards over four plays, capped by Justin Crawford's 56-yard touchdown run, to pull within 21-17.

Northwest was in great shape to go into the half down just one score, but ICC strung together a gutsy drive to take an 11-point lead into the half. Facing 4th-and-2 from its own 33-yard line, the Indians went for it and got it and then traveled 75 yards on 11 plays, capped by Belton's third rushing score. 

After giving up a Tyler Jackson 34-yard field goal minutes into the second half to fall behind 31-17, it was all Northwest after that. Both sides of the football were dominated by the Rangers.

Northwest held ICC to 99 total yards in the 2nd half, didn't allow them to cross midfield and outscored the Indians 28-3 the final 27 minutes of regulation. 

Crawford and McCrary, both freshmen, provided the spark offensively, with Crawford rushing for 161 of his career-high 240 yards in the second half and McCrary finishing with five catches for 80 yards and two scores.  

Miller capped the big comeback with a 5-yard rushing touchdown with 2:21 to play. 

Northwest's defense forced five ICC turnovers on the day and had six tackles-for-loss, four quarterback hurries, three breakups and two sacks. Terry Caldwell (14 tackles) and Malik Hawkins (13 tackles) led the way with a pair of double digit tackle performances. 

Northwest travels to Hinds (2-2) next Thursday, Sept. 25 for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.