McKay's field goal lifts Bulldogs over Wolves, 29-28
GOODMAN --- Holmes Community College sophomore kicker Connor McKay nailed a 40-yard field goal with 34 seconds left to play to give the Bulldogs a 29-28 season-opening win over the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves here tonight.
The Bulldogs travel to Ellisville next Thursday night at 7 p.m. to play the Jones County Junior College Bobcats, who picked up a 44-0 win over the Coahoma Community College Tigers tonight in Ellisville.
The Wolves got on the scoreboard with 8:09 left in the first quarter on a four-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good.
The Bulldogs answered the Wolves' touchdown with their first of the night when Jesse Wilson scored from four yards out. Connor McKay's extra point was good, and the game was tied at seven.
Holmes then took a 10-7 lead with 10:51 left in the second quarter when McKay connected on his first of three field goals in the game, this one from 21 yards out.
Co-Lin then scored twice in the last four minutes of the game to go up 21-10. The first score came on a one-yard run followed by a 12-yard run. Both extra points were good.
McKay then hit his second field goal as time expired in the first half to make it 21-13 Co-Lin at the half.
The Wolves increased the lead to 28-20 with 10:07 left in the fourth on a 21-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good.
The Bulldogs answered the Co-Lin score with 7:28 left when Darius May scored from 12 yards out. The two-point conversion pass fell incomplete, and Co-Lin led 28-26.
On the final drive of the night to set up McKay's field goal, the Bulldogs started the possession at their own 27. An 11-yard run by Wilson and two runs by May for 21 yards moved the ball to the Co-Lin 41. Wilson then completed a pass to Shaun Walton to the Co-Lin 39 for a first down. The Bulldogs moved the ball to the Co-Lin 23 before the drive stalled, and McKay trotted on for the field goal. The Wolves called a timeout to try to ice the kicker, but McKay slammed it through for the win.
Holmes ended up with 423 yards on the night while the Wolves had 293. The Bulldogs put up 237 on the ground to the Wolves' 73, but Co-Lin out passed Holmes 220-186.
May ended up with 128 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown to lead the Bulldogs. Wilson was 9-of-18 for 186 yards. Dylan Kelly had two catches for 70 yards.
Defensively, Kendrick Haynes led the Bulldogs with eight tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss. Tyshauwn White had eight tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. Jatavis Whitley had seven tackles while Luke Wilson and James Johnson each had six.
Photo by Stan Beall