SENATOBIA – Down 11 in the first half in Saturday's MACJC semifinal game against 17th-ranked East Central, No. 2 Northwest outscored the Warriors 24-6 down the stretch and held them to just 67 yards in the second half to grind out a 27-20 win and advance to the championship game.

It's been quite a turnaround for Jack Wright and the Rangers, inheriting a 1-8 program in 2013 on three years probation by the MACJC, and two years later, starting off 9-1 and ranked second in the NJCAA with four Top 20 wins.

Northwest snapped an eight-game losing streak in the state playoffs and will play in its first MACJC Championship game since 1999 – the same year of their last conference championship. East Central ended a great season at 7-3.  

It was East Central, however, who got out to a fast start on Saturday, jumping out to a 14-3 lead. 

After Northwest had to settle for a Jim Speights 23-yard field goal on its opening drive, the Warriors drove 58 yards in 14 plays, capped off by Jesse Hosket's 13-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Thomas, to make it 7-3. 

The Warriors went right back to work on their second possession, feeding Tredarian Gamble and Mikell Daniels, who took it down to the 1-yard line before Gamble punched it in for a 14-3 lead. 

Northwest caught a break just before halftime to pull within 14-10 at the break, with Hosket mishandling a snap and fumbling it at the ECCC 20-yard line. Six plays later, Gardner Minshew hit Marquisian Chapman for a 5-yard touchdown with 3 seconds left on the clock.

Northwest's defense was undoubtedly the difference in the second half, forcing four straight East Central punts and blocking a field goal to keep the Warriors off the board.

Minshew and the Rangers scored 17 straight to pull ahead 20-14 with 7:06 left in the third quarter, with the freshman hitting Jacob McCrary for a 41-yard score and Speights connecting on a record-breaking 28-yard field goal. Speights passed All-American Shae Orrell (1999-00) for first all-time in field goal makes, hitting the 21st of his career.

The six-point lead was short-lived, however, with Henri Murphy returning the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a score to tie the game at 20-20. The point after was blocked by Jalen Harvey. 

Another blocked kick by Northwest, this one by Malik Hawkins on a 32-yard field goal attempt by Aaron Garrett with 7:02 to play, kept the game tied and helped setup the game-winning drive.

Minshew marched the Rangers 80 yards downfield on 11 plays over 4:45 and connected with Chapman for a 6-yard touchdown with 6:11 to go to take a 27-20 lead.

East Central's final chance started at its own 20-yard line with 2:56 to play. The Warriors drove it out to their own 47-yard line, thanks in large part to a pair of Northwest penalties, before a 4th-and-four attempt from Hosket to Noah Nix came up short and they turned it over on downs.

Northwest was then able to salt away the final 1:16 to preserve its fifth come-from-behind victory of the season.

The Rangers outgained the Warriors 350-226 on a rainy and muddy day at Bobby Franklin Field. Minshew finished 18-of-28 for 168 yards with three touchdowns, becoming just the sixth Ranger to throw for 2,500 yards in a single-season. Justin Crawford finished with 110 yards on 22 carries, his 12th straight game over the century mark.

Tito Windham had a game-high nine tackles, followed by Kris Reliford with eight tackles, 2.5 for loss and a sack. K.T. McCollin had a big second half, finishing with three breakups and three tackles.

Northwest will host 8th-ranked Gulf Coast on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. for the MACJC Championship. The Rangers and Bulldogs met earlier this season in Senatobia with the Rangers pulling out a 26-10 win.

Saturday's championship game will be streamed live at www.nwccrangers.com/watch.