Indians improve to 4-0 with comeback win over rivals

By Jay Neal

sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Kendrick Hatton and Jeff Landrum were determined to send the near-capacity Jacksonville homecoming crowd off with plenty to celebrate Friday night.

Hatton, first scored a 23-yard touchdown, running around the right side, that tied the game at 28 (following Landrum’s successful point after touchdown) and then, on the opening possession of overtime, picked up 14 yards on five-consecutive scampers to up a 28-yard game-winning field goal by Landrum that enabled the Tribe to come-from-behind and defeat Palestine 31-28 at the Tomato Bowl.

Hatton finished the night as the Indians’ leading rusher, carrying the ball 25 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

The 220-pounder’ s punishing style of running seem to take its toll on the Wildcat defenders as the game wore on — Hatton tallied 120 yards in the second half alone.

Jacksonville head coach Steve Wells said Hatton wanted the ball late in the game and that he (Wells) was happy to oblige him.

“He (Hatton) wanted the ball, so we gave him the ball,” Wells said. “He’s a bull when it comes to the nut-cutting time...that’s who we go to and he did a great job.”

The actual game winning score came off the foot of the Indians’ senior-placekicker, Landrum, out of a spot-on hold by Brandon Orr from a Tanner Chancey snap.

The kick from straight away was perfect with ample room to spare.

“Jeff has been kicking real good for us in practice and he did a great job of putting the ball through in that pressure situation,” Wells said.

Landrum said following the game that he always feels some jitters before a field goal and that he had hoped to be able to have the opportunity to win the game in regulation.

“There’s always a little bit of pressure, but I just tried to stay calm the best I could and concentrate on putting the ball through (the goal posts),” Landrum said. “It’s a great feeling to be able to get the game wining kick on homecoming. I wanted to be able to do it in the fourth quarter, but the game ended up going to overtime, but a win is a win.”

Orr, in detailing his hold on the game-winning boot, said Landrum gave him specific instructions to get the ball down properly for him.

“We were jogging out onto the field and Jeff (Landrum) said to me,’you better get the ball down,’ and I said, ‘yes sir’”, Orr said, half joking. “I didn’t feel any extra pressure to get the ball down because the distance was more like that of an extra point.”

The game was far from over following Landrum’s kick though.

Palestine set up shop on the 25-yard line, just as Jacksonville had previously done, and on their first play, Terrance Simon picked up five yards with one of his many patented bursts. The play was washed out, however, due to a holding penalty — fouls haunted the ‘Cats all night as Palestine was whistled for six penalties for 52 yards, several coming at key junctures in the game.

The Indian defense, which did not play well in the second half, stiffened up in overtime, as JaColby Scott and Zack Woodson joined forces to stop Wildcat signal-caller, Olin Terry, for a 5-yard loss on the Wildcats’ next play from scrimmage.

Terry, none-the-less, turned in a masterful game (15-172 on the ground and 17-31-1 for 181 yards through the air) and had a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

“Terry is the real deal, he can go and we had a tough time stopping him tonight,” Wells said.

Terry through a dart to E. J. Spurlock on an out route on a second-and-twenty five from the 35-yard line that was good for 10 yards to keep the Wildcats’ hopes alive.

That’s when the Indian secondary made two-consecutive game-saving plays that stopped the Palestine march, much to the approval of the large crowd.

Terry tried first to connect with Spurlock, Palestine’s leading receiver, in the corner of the end zone, but a leaping Ty Sneed got his hand on the ball at the last second and batted down Terry’s pass.

“I thought he (Spurlock) had me beat at first,” Sneed said. “But, I reached up at the last moment and was able to get to the ball and get a piece of it. We work hard in practice on that very play, and tonight it paid off in the game.”

The Wildcats had one final chance, facing a fourth-and-fifteen from the 25-yard line (well out of range of their placekicker, Travis Atkinson).

Terry again attempted to hook up with Spurlock on the left side, but Duke Hamilton would have no part of it on his watch, as Hamilton successfully defended on the play, ending the ‘Cats’ chances and putting the game in the book in favor of the Tribe.

“Ty (Sneed) was playing over the top and I was playing underneath,” Hamilton said in outlining the final two plays of overtime from the defensive perspective. “I congratulate my boy, Ty Sneed, he came through and broke the pass up in the end zone; that was a heck of a play and the one that saved the game for us.”

Hamilton said the fact the Indians, who are now 5-1-1 all time in overtime affairs, had a bonus round victory — 35-27 in Week 0 at Marshall — under their belts this year gave them an advantage in the game.

“We’ve been here (in overtime) before, so we knew what to expect and we knew it was time to go,” he said.

Jacksonville, who hosts Carthage (4-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, appeared on the way to a convincing victory as the Tribe enjoyed a 21-7 lead at the break as Hatton scored the first touchdown of the game on a 12-yard run at the 9:01 point of the opening period. Jacksonville also put seven on the board when Justin Davis caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Black with 9:17 to play in the first half.

The Indians’ final score of the half came on a 64-yard interception return by Stacy Whitaker that came with just over five minutes to play in the second period.

The WIldcats came out with fire in their eyes in the second half as Terry scored on a 61-yard run on Palestine’s first play from scrimmage to start the third stanza.

Terry then connected with Meshach Williams on a 32-yard scoring reception that capped an 8-play march that extinguished 3:21 seconds off the clock which enabled the Wildcats to tie the game at 21 with 5:26 to go in the third.

Palestine took their only lead in the affair at the 3:18 point of the fourth when Simon raced in from 21 yards out .

“Our kids, once again tonight, battled back from adversity,” a relieved Wells said. “We went down 28-21 with about three minutes to go in the game and we mounted a drive to tie the game and then won it in overtime.

“I can’t say enough about the way these kids played to be able to get the job done...it may not always be pretty, but they get the job done.”