Thursday sports: Jaguars fall short to Houston in season opener
Photo: DeSoto Central quarterback Eric Perry runs for yardage with help from his linemen during Thursday’s contest against Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
DeSoto Central football coach Will Wolfe told his team after Thursday’s 38-21 loss to the Houston Mustangs that they were “one quarter away from something special” and they need to find that quarter. That’s because the Jaguars, playing a highly-regarded Houston team that already had one game under its belt, held close to the Mustangs until the visitors pulled away in the later stages of the third quarter and the final 12 minutes of the game in the 17-point victory.
The Jaguars, now 0-1 for the season, fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter. Houston scored on a short run after recovering a DeSoto Central fumble, followed by a 21-yard touchdown pass with 1:59 left in the quarter for the two touchdown advantage. The second scoring drive was aided by a penalty flag thrown for a late hit on the punt return that started the drive.
DeSoto Central got on the board for the first time after an impressive drive that ended with a one-yard run from running back Landen Fairley. The touchdown got the Jags within 14-7 with 11.7 seconds left in the quarter.
A second-quarter drive from the Mustangs stalled after a strong effort by the Jaguar defense but Houston did convert a 34-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead with under eight minutes left in the half.
The Jaguars answered with a strong drive of its own, ending with Fairley’s second touchdown of the game to get DeSoto Central within 17-14 of the Mustangs and that would be the halftime score.
Houston came out in the second half and a drive together to a touchdown and a 24-14 lead 24-21. But again, DeSoto Central would respond, ending with a one-yard run for a score from Georden Saulsberry to get within 24-21.
Again, Houston would come up with the big play as quarterback Chandler Day ran seven yards for a touchdown and a 31-21 lead after three quarters of play. Day would score one more time with under five minutes left in the game for the final score of 38-21.
Houston came into the game off a 45-3 victory over Briarcrest in their season opener last week. Wolfe, coming to DeSoto Central after assisting at Lafayette and being head coach at Hernando before that, saw his team fall in its season opener. The Jaguars will play at county rival Lake Cormorant next Friday evening.
Aug 29, 2024
Prep football
Houston, Tenn. 38, DeSoto Central 21
JUCO football
Pearl River 24, Northwest CC 23
JUCO men’s soccer
Copiah-Lincoln 4, Northwest CC 1
Prep girls soccer
Northpoint Christian 8, First Assembly Christian, Tenn. 1
Prep volleyball
Briarcrest Christian 3, Lewisburg 0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-18)
DeSoto Central 3, Southaven 0 (25-14-, 25-9, 25-18)
(DeSoto Central: Remy McIntosh had 7 aces. Reese McIntosh had 6 aces and 8 kills. Genesis Weeks had 7 kills. Sydney Tague had 18 assists and 4 aces)
Center Hill 3, Olive Branch 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-18)
Lake Cormorant at KSA Fall Classic, Orlando, Fla.
- Lake Cormorant 2, Trinity Christian, WV 0 (25-6, 25-13)
- All Saints Episcopal, Texas 2, Lake Cormorant 1 (25-15, 18-25, 17-15)
- McKinney Christian Academy, Texas 2, Lake Cormorant 1 (21-25, 25-19, 15-10)
Prep cross country
- Hernando won the 4A-7A boys team championship and Lewisburg took home the girls’ title at the Tupelo Christian Twilight Run in Tupelo. Trace Thornhill of Hernando was the runner up to Starkville’s Scott McDonnall among individual boys’ results…and Hernando’s Kyleigh Carter the individual champion among girls runners at the division.
Prep boys golf
- Hernando finished second to Madison Central 284-286 in the St. Andrew’s Invitational meet at the Lake Caroline Golf Course. Tiger golfer Jayden Owensby tied for medalist honors with Grayson Davis of Germantown (Madison), each shooting a 67. Owensby went on to win a four-hole playoff.
