Friday sports: Eagles edge Jaguars for home playoff berth
Photo: Horn Lake quarterback James Edwards Jr runs against the DeSoto Central defense during Friday’s 26-20 Eagles’ victory. (Mary Scott/Oak River Media for desotocountynews.com)
Nov 1, 2024 – It might be one of the biggest wins for a Horn Lake football team in years, but more importantly, the 26-20 Region 1-7A victory over DeSoto Central Friday night assured the Eagles of an important item.
While both teams will be involved in playoff football past the season finale this coming Thursday night, the Eagles know they will start the playoffs on their home turf while the Jaguars will have to travel for the first round.
The game was decided in the final 23.5 seconds of the contest, when Linkin Sanders of the Eagles scored from six yards out for the victory.
The win improved Horn Lake’s record to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in region games. DeSoto Central dropped to 6-4 overall and 2-2 in the region.
Oxford will win the Region 1-7A title and the number one seed. Horn Lake becomes the number two seed regardless of what happens Thursday against Southaven. The Chargers are ineligible for the playoffs after being involved in two skirmishes in separate games this season. DeSoto Central will finish third and Lewisburg will end up with the number four seed as Southaven and Hernando will be on the outside.
Friday night, Horn Lake opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 16-yard run by quarterback James Edwards, Jr. for a 6-0 lead, but DeSoto Central answered with a 25-yard pass play from signal caller Eric Perry to Jonathan Roberts to tie the score at 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The Jaguars claimed the lead in the second quarter on a two-yard run by Courtney Battle but Horn Lake responded with a 25-yard pass play from Edwards to Braylon King late in the half. A run for two points on the conversion attempt by Sanders failed but gave the Eagles a 14-13 lead.
A key moment in the game came on the last play of the first half when a pass from Perry appeared to go through the fingers of a Horn Lake defender and found its way into the arms of Jaguar Ter’myihias Welch. The receiver then took off toward the end zone and appeared to have a touchdown before an Eagle defender caught up and tackled Welch just short of the goal line as the first half ended.
A one-yard run for a score in the third quarter from Demarkus Crain increased the lead to 20-13, but DeSoto Central again answered, this time when Battle scored again, finding the end zone from two yards out just 1:03 into the final quarter.
That set up Sanders’ heroics in the final 30 seconds of the game.
Friday’s game had some key components missing. Horn Lake did not have the services of running back Floyd Sinegal, who came up hurt during practice Wednesday and did not play the entire game. DeSoto Central lost the services of Perry to injury in the second half.
Horn Lake now is set to host its first home playoff game since the 2018 6A state championship year, when home victories over Starkville and Madison Central sent the Eagles to its 31-27 state championship victory over Hattiesburg Oak Grove at Southern Miss.
FRIDAY’S DESOTO COUNTY SCOREBOARD
Prep football
- Horn Lake 26, DeSoto Central 20
- Oxford 43, Lewisburg 0
- Northpoint Christian 31, Evangelical Christian 14
- Southaven 37, Hernando 13
- Lake Cormorant 36,, Center Hill 14
- South Panola 42, Olive Branch 14
JUCO football
- Northwest CC 43, Itawamba 10
JUCO volleyball
NJCAA Region 23 tournament
- Northwest 3, Pearl River 0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-15) (Northwest to play Jones College at 11 a.m. Saturday for Region 23 championship)
SPORTS ETC.:
Three members of the Center Hill baseball team Friday signed offers to play for East Mississippi and Northwest community colleges.
