The West Jones Mustangs have put up 37 points in back-to-back weeks, gaining Region 3-5A wins over South Jones and Forest Hill, the latter coming last night at Homecoming, 37-18. Those two wins combined with their opening region game win over Brookhaven have the Mustangs partially in the driver’s seat of the region at the moment. The co-driver in Region 3-5A is Laurel, which also has an unblemished region record. The two teams will meet next Friday night in Soso to see who takes firm control of the region’s proverbial steering wheel.
The Mustangs rolled up 346 total yards and 20 first downs en route to downing Forest Hill Friday. Quarterback Alan Follis was 17 of 25 for 157 yards and two scores through the air, and he ran the ball 12 times for 56 yards and another TD. Kentrell Pruitt had 12 carries for 45 yards and a TD and a catch for 5 yards. Joshua McDonald chipped in with 9 carries for 35 yards and a TD and a 13-yard catch; Jasper Jones had 13 carries for 40 yards. Tajrick Randolph had a big night on the receiving end of Follis’s tosses, making 10 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Keys had three catches for 22 yards.  Â
West Jones posted two 1-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter, the first by Pruitt and the other by McDonald. Benjamin Cooper added both PATs to give the hosts an early 14-0 lead. The visitors trimmed the lead to 14-6 on a 9-yard TD pass from Christoper Hughes to Jadurius Wilson in the second quarter. The PAT was missed. The Mustangs countered with a 28-yard field goal by Cooper and a 21-yard scoring scamper by Follis to take a commanding 23-6 advantage into halftime.
Forest Hill tacked on touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters, missing both point-after attempts, but Follis connected with Randolph on scoring shots from seven and eight yards out in the final quarter to ensure the Patriots their first region loss of 2019.
Big Offense, Tough Defense
The Mustangs have obviously found a rhythm on offense, outscoring their three region opponents by a combined 117 to 30. But don't get so focused on the 117 that you miss the 30 . . . that Mustangs’ defense is playing pretty well. Against the Patriots the Mustangs only allowed 38 rushing yards on 23 carries. That’s a mere 1.7 yards per tote. Ouch!
Don’t Do That
The Mustangs fumbled the ball four times Friday night, losing two, and got flagged seven times for 60 yards. Both of those numbers need to drop a little next weekend against Laurel.
What Next Friday Means
The Mustangs will play host to Todd Breland’s Tornadoes next Friday. Both teams are on a trajectory to do some big things in the postseason, but the winner of this showdown will have both hands on the region’s steering wheel. There will be no co-driver when the final whistle sounds the conclusion of this one. The loser will still wind up in the playoffs, but the road to navigate once there will likely be easier for the team that gets the win this weekend. Oh, and there’s the whole thing about county pride . . . about who will have county bragging rights for a year!
Dennis Bohannon/Game StatisticianÂ
