WESSON — Mize could not overcome a 20-0 deficit in the second half falling 20-7 to Wesson Friday night. With the win, Wesson is now 5-0 going into district play while Mize falls to 3-2. 

From the start, Wesson was fired up to play and came out swinging with an onside kick attempt and forcing a three and out. Wesson picked up 29 yards on a double reverse on their first play on offense to get down to the 50. 

However the drive was cut short at the Mize 33 after Wesson fumbled the football. A couple of plays later, senior Deshawn Smith tracked down a Mize running back and punched out the football at the Cobra’s 12 yardline to save a touchdown. 

Wesson’s celebrations were short lived as they fumbled the ball on the next play right back to Mize at the 11. Korbin Ashmore, a senior, made things right when he recovered a fumble for Wesson on the next play. 

Wesson then drove the field with senior quarterback Cole Gipson slinging a 25 yard touchdown pass to Damarion Smith. Damarion, a sophomore, got enough separation from his defender and hauled in the pass with one hand. Wesson led 6-0 with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. 

“I knew he was open and I threw to him and he came down with a great catch,” Gipson said. 

He would connect with Damarion again in the second quarter. His second touchdown pass to Damarion was thanks to a great special teams play by JB James who recovered a bobbled squib kick at the 30. 

Damarion got himself open and Gipson found him over the middle for a 30 yard touchdown pass. Wesson led 14-0 with 11:30 in the second quarter. 

“One cool thing about Damarion is his older brother had a good connection with the quarterback before me. Damarion is a dog. He is one I look at to try and get the ball. I try to get the ball to whoever is open though.” 

Wesson followed up the touchdown by holding Mize to a goal line stand and a turnover on downs with 5:17 in the second quarter. The defense had a short break as the Cobras fumbled for the third time. Ashmore again came up with a fumble recovery as Brett Thompson forced a fumble at the eight yard-line to get the ball back for Wesson. After a few chunk plays, the Cobras could not find the endzone to end the first half. 

After a promising second half start, Wesson fumbled for the fourth time at Mize’s 38. Wesson’s defense again came up strong forcing the Bulldogs to turn the ball over on downs at their six yardline. 

Three minutes later, Gipson found Kemari Brown on a 30 yard screen pass for a touchdown. Mize’s sideline screamed “watch the screen,” before the ball was snapped. Brown rumbled through a few defenders and into the endzone. Wesson was now up 20-0 with 2:38 in the third quarter. 

Wesson forced another fumble as Brown recovered the football late in the third quarter. Mize’s defense held strong and forced a field goal which was missed by Wesson. The Bulldogs then scored their first touchdown of the game on a touchdown pass. It was 20-7 with 9:12 in the fourth quarter. 

Mize then attempted an onside kick and recovered. Wesson forced a turnover on downs but had to punt the ball back to the Bulldogs. 

With three minutes left, Wesson forced a turnover on downs and got the football back and were able to kill the clock. Gipson picked up some vital yardage on third down to bring up fourth and one. Wesson got the first down and then kneeled out the clock. 

Gipson had several plays where he did not shy away from contact and lowered his shoulder to pick up yardage. The senior is getting closer to one last stretch of district play with his teammates.

“That is one thing we embrace. We try to play tough, play hard. Whenever I get the ball I run hard,” Gipson said. “I love this team. We have a group of seniors and we have a special bound. We are a family and I just love to play with these guys. I don’t want it to end.”

Wesson will have a bye-week this week. Gipson said they will all try to heal up, rest up and get ready for the start of district play away at Port Gibson. 

Before the Cobras went and celebrated with the band, Head Coach Jeremy Loy had a message for his team.

 “We are going to keep working and stay humble,” he said. “I like how y’all fight.”

From start to finish, Wesson had high energy. Gipson said that was due to their past with Mize. 

“Mize has been a pain in recent years. We only won by one touchdown last year. We beat them by more this year,” Gipson said. “We had a few turnovers tonight but came out with a win. We have been talking about this game all week. They have always been the hill we couldn’t get over.”