The script for Homecoming 2024 in Wesson was perfectly written and executed for Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

The weather was gorgeous, the crowd was huge, and the day was filled with events and functions that brought the Co-Lin family together, including a well-attended tailgate party outside of H.L. “Hook” Stone Stadium prior to kickoff.

When the game began, it was Co-Lin who jumped out to a quick start as sophomore Zyrian Jackson (Hazlehurst High) returned the opening kickoff back 79 yards to the Southwest 15-yard line.

After a couple runs by Tray Minor (Natchez High), Co-Lin got the opening touchdown of the game via a 1-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Will Loy (Wesson High) to freshman tight end Que Tillman (West Point) to put CLCC ahead 7-0.

That was a precursor of things to come as Loy finishes with two passing touchdowns and one rushing score in an eventual 42-16 victory for the Wolves. The win was the 10th straight for Co-Lin over their rivals from Southwest Mississippi.

SMCC head coach Clifton Collins has used three different quarterbacks this season and on Thursday, he started former Scott Central star Quez Goss. Goss was a two-time MHSAA 2A state champion in high school who was lost to injury in the early part of last season to an injury.

The 5-foot-10, 215-pound Goss can scramble and throw on the run and keeping him contained was a big part of the game plan for the Co-Lin defense. Goss finished the night going 14-of-28 for 131 yards and one interception. He had the longest run for scrimmage on the night for Southwest when he ran for a 26-yard gain.

Marcellus Jackson, a transfer from Tennessee Tech University, was the top pass catcher for the Bears, hauling in six passes for 100 yards and one score.

Loy got his first career start last year against Southwest in Summitt, a game won 29-21 by the Wolves.

On Thursday, Loy finished 7-of-14 for 86 yards with two interceptions.

The first score of the night for Southwest Mississippi tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter and came when CLCC dropped a punt that was recovered by the Bears.

Collin’s crew took advantage of that short field, scoring on a four-yard run by Jalen Williams after Goss picked up those aforementioned 23-yards with his legs.

The Wolves responded immediately with a ground-based drive that covered 83 yards, took 11 plays, and lasted 6 minutes and 24 seconds.

Minor and Deantre “The Jet” Jackson Jr. (New Orleans) alternated carries  to get CLCC down to the Southwest 10-yard line

After a timeout by the home team and facing 3rd-and-6 from the 10-yard line, Loy hit freshman wide receiver Kannon Cato (Lawrence County) on a well-designed, play-action look to put CLCC ahead 14-7 with 64 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Minor had 95 yards last week in a loss at Jones and 113 yards on the ground in a blowout win over Hinds two weeks ago.

Thursday, he finished with 121 yards on 21 carries while scoring the final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.Jackson Jr., who played last season at Southeastern Louisiana, finished with 97 yards on 16 carries.

Loy ran in for a 2-yard score later in the second quarter and after that Humberto Rosales PAT kick, C-L was ahead 21-7. The Bears trimmed that advantage to 21-10 at the halftime break following a 24-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining in the first half.  Rosales, who handles kicking and punting for the Wolves, finished the night a perfect 6-of-6 on PAT attempts.

After the presentation of 2024 Homecoming queen Makyia Stallings and a performance by the Blue Wave Show Band, the second half lacked much early rhythm with Southwest punting, Co-Lin throwing an interception, the Bears getting a field goal blocked and Co-Lin punting too.

Sophomore safety DJ Hill-Smith (Little Rock) finally gave the home crowd something to cheer about, as he intercepted Goss and returned it 44-yards for a touchdown to make the score 28-10.

Hill-Smith is a transfer from East Mississippi CC who holds a long list of offers already including Liberty, Texas State, UNLV, Charlotte and Southern Miss among others.

Both teams used a second quarterback beginning in the third quarter. For SMCC, it was Parklane Academy product Henry Brewer. Brewer has made an appearance in all five games this season for the Bears and on Thursday he went 11-for-17 for 114 yards and one score.

Will Prichard, a transfer from Arkansas State, has also seen action in every game this season for Co-Lin. The native of West Palm Beach, Florida made the most of his snaps on Thursday, going 2-of-2 for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Prichard completely fooled the SMCC defense with an apparent handoff and then pulled the ball back in before firing to a wide open Matt Mayfield (Beau Chene, La.) for a 72-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

The total of 16 points for Southwest was the lowest of the season for the Bears, who lost 55-36 at home last week to Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Co-Lin defense held the Bears to a total of 35 net yards rushing and put up seven total sacks in getting the win.

Defensive back Tenerrean Jackson (Cleveland Central) led the Co-Lin defense with six total tackles. Defensive lineman Deaundre Washington (Brandon High) and Kenneth Andrews (Clinton High) picked up a pair of sacks each for the Wolves up front.

Nearly the entire MACCC will be off next Thursday for a scheduled bye-week that’s new in 2024. The only game scheduled is Northeast Mississippi at Mississippi Delta.

Co-Lin (3-2, 2-1) will be at Pearl River on Thursday, Oct. 10. Southwest Mississippi (0-5, 0-3) is back in Summit on that same date, hosting Northwest Mississippi CC.

In other games played in the league on Thursday, Holmes CC moved to 5-0 on the year with a 35-22 win over Jones College. Mississippi Gulf Coast also remained a perfect 5-0 after beating Pearl River 41-14, Itawamba came back late to overcome Mississippi Delta 35-17, Northwest Mississippi outlasted Northeast Mississippi 28-20, and East Central dominated Hinds 42-13. East Mississippi (1-3) will host Coahoma on Saturday for homecoming in Scooba.