ELLISVILLE — The Co-Lin Community College Wolves are headed tothe MACJC state playoffs as the top seed from the South Division.The Co-Lin Community College Wolves throttled Jones 16-3 hereThursday on a rainy night at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field.

The victory gives Co-Lin, ranked No. 15, the South Divisiontitle. Co-Lin is now 7-2 overall, 5-1 in division play. Jones endsthe year at 6-3 and 3-3. This was the first win by Co-Lin overJones since 2000 when the Wolves nipped the Bobcats 21-20.

The Wolves. under head coach Glenn Davis, will go into theplayoffs as the No. 1 seed because of their 31-21 victory overPearl River earlier this season. The No. 3 ranked Wildcats whippedHinds 36-7 Thursday night to end the year at 5-1. Gulf Coast,meanwhile, was upset by Southwest, 14-7. That gives the No. 4Bulldogs a 4-2 division record and knocks them out of theplayoffs.

“It was a great win for the kids,” said Davis. “They keptbattling along. We have a good group. It was a good team effort.The defense has played great all year. They played hard.

“We won it,” added Davis.” That’s the big thing. It’s good forthe district and the area. We are going to need good support nextSaturday. Hopefully, the crowd will be as hungry as our footballteam.”

On Saturday, Nov. 4, Co-Lin will host Itawamba, the No. 2 teamfrom the North. Pearl River will go to North Division championItawamba. The state championship game will be played Nov. 11.

Co-Lin put itself in position to win the division with a solideffort

against Jones.

Wolves utilized the talents of sophomore running back AaronJohns. Johns piled up 167 yards on 26 carries, including 128 yardson 18 carries in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats could only generate 141 yards of offense,including a minus 4 yards in net rushing.

After stuffing Co-Lin on the first possession of the night,Jones took over at its own 46-yard line after Ellis Lanksterreturned a punt 17 yards.

From there, Jones would move downfield, all the way to theCo-Lin 3 where they faced a third and goal. However, Petey Thigpenwas dropped for a loss of five yards and Jones had to settle for a25-yard field goal by Brandan Sellers with 7:04 left in the firstquarter.

Co-Lin would then take the lead for good midway through thesecond quarter when they put together a 54-yard, eight-play drive.The Wolves would get on the board when quarterback Cedric Johnsonfound Damoyn Carroll on a seven-yard strike on a third-and-goalsituation. Nick Gunter’s conversion made it 7-3 with 7:58 left inthe second quarter.

Jones then took the ensuing kickoff and drove from their own 35all the way to the Co-Lin 5. However, on a third-and-goal at thatpoint, quarterback Caleb Callahan’s pass was deflected and Co-Lin’sMarcus Udell came up with the interception a yard deep in the endzone and returned it to the four with just 31 seconds remaining inthe half.

The second half was controlled by the Wolves.

They stopped the Bobcats on the first three plays of the halfand took over at the Jones’ 49. From there they drove 39 yards ineight plays with Gunter booting a 27-yard field goal. The kick putCo-Lin ahead 10-3 with 10:05 left in the third quarter.

Later in the third quarter, Udell came up with anotherinterception at the Bobcat 41. Johns zigzagged for 31 yards onfirst down and then took it over from 10 yards out on the nextcarry. The extra point attempt was off to the right, but Co-Lin led16-3 with 1:33 left in the third quarter

Jones’ only other threat of the night came when linebackerArchie Sims recovered a fumble at the Bobcat 35. Jones moved for afirst down out to midfield, but eventually turned the ball over ondowns with just over five minutes to play.