SENATOBIA – The #14 Northwest Mississippi Community College football team (2-2, 1-0) picked up a much-needed win on Thursday night, snapping a two-game skid along the way as they blew out Mississippi Delta Community College (1-3, 0-1) at Bobby Franklin Field, rolling to a 42-0 victory with a running clock for much of the fourth quarter.
The victory was paced by a team that ran the ball for 261 yards, breaking the century mark for the first time this year as a team and doing it behind eight players carrying the ball. That was just a taste of the team effort, which ended up seeing all six touchdowns come from different players on a night the Rangers were able to go deep into their depth chart in front of the home fans.
"We are getting some guys to grow up a little bit," Defensive Coordinator Paige Anders said. "It's like this every year, the first game is kind of iffy, but we are starting to make more tackles and get guys to the ground now. It's not like last year, when we had all those guys back, but we are starting to put it together, and they are starting to come together as a unit."
Both teams took some time to get the offense going in the first quarter, with a pair of punts from the Trojans and one from the Rangers keeping the game scoreless going into the final eight minutes of the opening frame, and both sides combining for just one first down.
It would be the special teams that opened the game up for Northwest when a punt return from Clydarrien Peters set the Rangers up at the Trojans' 25-yard line, and two plays later, Neko Fann found Zavion Carman in the back of the endzone for a 13-yard completion and a 7-0 lead.
Mississippi Delta answered back with a long drive, marching down to the Northwest 13-yard line on a 12-play drive that consumed over 5-and-a-half minutes of clock, but a 14-yard sack by Cameron Williams not only ended the drive, but also forced a fumble and gave possession back to the Rangers at their own 38.
The Rangers didn't turn it into points, punting the ball three plays later, but the Trojans were forced to punt again on their next drive as the second quarter began, and after the ball sailed out of bounds at the 50-yard line, Northwest was set up in optimal field position for a second time.
The result mimicked the first, with the Rangers quickly moving to the goal line where Macaleb Taylor capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown scamper, doubling the lead on the Will Uselton PAT to go up 14-0 with 11:32 remaining in the first half.
Both teams had quick drives end in punts on their next two possessions, but eventually the Trojans would get back on their horse and put together another long drive, this time going 51 yards in 11 plays, only to see their offense again stall out in the Ranger red zone. They would attempt a 31-yard field goal, only to miss wide-left to keep the score frozen at 14-0.
Momentum shifted back to the Rangers, who went on a lightning-quick drive, going 80 yards in just over one minute on eight plays, with Fann guiding the Rangers down to the 22-yard line of Mississippi Delta before finding Quincy Phillips Jr. for the score on a play where the sophomore wide receiver would break through several tackles to find the goal line, extending the lead to 21-0. It was a lead the Rangers would take into the halftime locker room.
After receiving the ball to open the second half, Northwest put their stamp on the game, going on their longest drive of the year. A 16-play, 9-minute drive that covered 70 yards on the way to Fann punching into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the year to extend the lead to 28-0.
"Hats off to the offense for holding the ball," Anders said. "We started getting some other guys in there that we need to get some game experience, and we hadn't had that opportunity, so hopefully we can start getting it to where we can roll guys in and out."
The defense forced a quick three-and-out to follow, keyed by a pair of sacks by CJ Williams and Linkin Sanders, to give Northwest the ball right back on the Trojans' side of the field after Noel Mora's punt only went 21 yards, giving the Rangers possession at their 35.
Northwest went to the ground game on their next five plays to set up a third-and-six from the Mississippi Delta 19, and Gillon found Dagarrious Clifton in the back corner of the end zone to push the lead to 35-0 with just over 16 minutes left in the game.
The next drive for the Trojans again would go backwards thanks to an illegal substitution penalty, and another three-and-out was the result.
"The offense ate, went down, and scored, so all we wanted to do was get [the Trojans] off the field and get our offense right back on to score again," freshman linebacker Linkin Sanders said. "We got some backups in there as they deserve, and I really wanted that for them."
With the game well in hand, Northwest gave the keys to the car to Zach Benedict, and along with Jeremiah Harkins, the duo would rush for 53 yards on the way to a sixth score, with Benedict getting his first career touchdown on a seven-yard scamper up the middle for the score and a 42-0 lead, starting the running clock for the first time this year for the Rangers.
That would be the game, with Mississippi Delta giving the ball back after another three-and-out, closing a second half where they only ran nine offensive plays to 39 plays from the Rangers. Northwest would kneel down on their final possession after moving into the Trojan red zone again, happy to move on with the 42-0 victory on the night.
Everyone got involved in the scoresheet for the Rangers, highlighted by a rushing attack that netted 261 yards compared to negative 18 yards from the Trojans. Jeremiah Harkins was the leading rusher, coming in off the bench for the final two drives and carrying it six times for 84 yards. He was followed by DJ Woods, who picked up 61 yards on eight carries.
Northwest picked up rushing scores from Taylor, who had a team-high 10 carries for 44 yards, Fann, who added 26 yards on seven carries, and Benedict, who rushed six times for 20 yards.
"It was great to see the rushing game back," Fann said. "We need that because that's where the game is won, in the trenches, and we need it moving forward this season."
The receiving game was just as balanced, with six players pulling in passes, including three picking up touchdowns. TyAnthony Elmore led the Rangers in receptions with four for 43 yards. Quincy Phillips Jr. added a touchdown to go with three catches for 37 yards, matched in receptions by Zavion Carman won pulled in three for 29 yards and a score.
Clifton, Clydarrion Peters, and Damon Sisa all had a reception as well, with Clifton's going for a 19-yard touchdown.
Northwest's passing game was a balanced effort from Fann and Gillon, combining to go 13-18, throwing for 146 yards and three scores, with Fann tossing a season-best two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Rangers were able to shine, racking up a season best six sacks along the way to eight total tackles for a loss. Sanders led the way with six tackles, including a sack and an additional TFL. Jamarcus Flowers, Caleb Tillman, and Kris Thompson all had five tackles.
Williams forced fumble was the only turnover of the game, with the loose ball being recovered by Donalvin Wilson Jr.
Team numbers were all in favor of the Rangers, with Northwest outgaining the Trojans 407 to 140, earning 28 first downs to nine, and converting on 60 percent of their third downs, compared to just 29 percent for Mississippi Delta.
"We had a great week and really dominated," Sanders said, adding it all started up front with the defensive line. "I preach that the defensive line has to be great. If they are great, then the whole team is great."
Northwest will head back out on the road for their next game on September 24th for a battle with the Northeast Mississippi Community College Tigers, who will enter the game at 3-1 and 0-1 in North Division action.
The game will be a critical one as the Rangers are currently in a three-way tie with Itawamba Community College and Holmes Community College at the top of the standings in the North at 1-0.
"We need a great week of practice," Anders said. "The only thing that matters right now is we are going to put this one to bed, and the next rep that we do is the most important thing that we do. "
Keep up with the Northwest football team by checking out nwccrangers.com or by following Ranger social media accounts.
