Holmes defeats Coahoma, 49-16
GOODMAN --- The Holmes Community College Bulldogs ended the regular season today here with a 49-16 win over the Coahoma Community College Tigers on Homecoming.
With the win, the Bulldogs finished the regular season play with a 4-5 record and 4-2 in the North Division. Holmes, Itawamba, Northwest and East Mississippi all ended the regular season with identical 4-2 North Division records, but Holmes and Itawamba lost out on the tiebreaker to Northwest and East Mississippi for playoff spots.
Holmes came into the game leading the NJCAA in rushing and continued to rack up rushing yards today as they finished with 456 yards on the ground.
Coahoma started the scoring off with a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to go up 8-0 with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
Holmes answered the touchdown minutes later when sophomore running back Dylan Kelly scored from 25 yards out. Easton Curry's extra point was good, and Coahoma led 8-7 with 7:23 left in the first.
Holmes answered again in the first quarter when freshman fullback Devontaye Bankston scored from eight yards out. Curry's extra point made it 14-8 Holmes with 3:11 left in the first.
The Tigers scored with 1:11 left in the second quarter on a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to go up 16-14.
Holmes answered with 20 seconds left in the second quarter when freshman quarterback Kyren Batey connected with sophomore running back Martavius Dill on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Curry's extra point put Holmes back up 21-16. Holmes led the remainder of the game.
The Bulldogs got their first touchdown of the second half when Batey scored from nine yards out with 10:12 left in the third. Holmes led 28-16 after Curry's extra point.
Sophomore fullback Terry Bryant scored from nine yards out with 1:36 left in the third. Curry's extra point made it 35-16.
Bankston then picked up his second of two scores as he bulled his way in from 38 yards out. Curry's extra point was good, and Holmes led 42-16 with 12:35 left in the game.
Sophomore quarterback Tytus Heard got on the scoreboard with 5:34 left when he scored from a yard out. Curry's extra point ended all scoring at 49-16.
Batey finished with 103 yards on nine carries while Kelly had 101 yards on nine carries, Bryant 73 yards on 11 carries and Bankston 65 yards on six carries.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Rasson Carr led the Bulldogs with nine tackles. Devlin Kirklin, James Johnson and Tyler Taylor each had seven tackles. Charles Jefferson led the Bulldogs with two tackles for loss while Taylor and Jha'mauri Johnson each had 1.5 TFLs. Jefferson added 1.5 sacks.
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