MOORHEAD – Northwest pounded the rock to the tune of a season-high 338 rushing yards and six combined scores from
Chris Calvert and
Kevin Perkins in a 59-16 rout of Mississippi Delta Thursday night at Jim Randall Stadium.
Northwest, who put up 50 points in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 2000, improved to 3-0 on the year and 1-0 in the north division while Delta remained winless on the season.
The Rangers jumped out to a 21-0 lead after a quarter of play on touchdown runs by Calvert and Perkins and 7-yard touchdown pass from
Robert Wilcke to
Braden Smith.
Delta battled back with nine straight points in a high-scoring second quarter, using a Spencer Romero 24-yard field goal and 86-yard pass from Marquise McCoy to Tyrique McAfee to make it 21-9 Rangers.
Jayce Rogers' 83-yard kick return for a score, after the Trojans' long touchdown pass, flipped the momentum back in the Rangers' favor. It was the first kick return for a touchdown in five seasons.
The teams exchanged scores over the final six minutes of the first half, with
Cam White's second interception setting up another Perkins rushing score.
Leading 35-16 at the break, Northwest's defense pinned its ears back and shutout the Trojans in the second half. After allowing 171 yards in the opening half, the Ranger defense allowed just 46 yards in the second and one first down.
Chris Taylor's 25-yard field goal was the lone score of the third quarter before three more Calvert rushing scores from 44, 22 and 11 yards out in the fourth.
Calvert finished with 98 yards and four rushing scores, tying a single-game school record.
Jaxton Carson added 113 yards, Perkins had 56 and two scores and
Urriah Shephard added 47.
Wilcke played all four quarters in the win, finishing 18-for-24 for 202 yards, a passing touchdown and two interceptions.
Monterio Hunt had a team-high five grabs for 70 yards as the Northwest offense rolled up 540 total yards.
Jerrick Reed II led the Ranger defense with a career-high 14 tackles, with White and
Brandin Echols adding interceptions.
Northwest will close out a three-game road trip Thursday at Copiah-Lincoln. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
