MONTICELLO — West Jones got its wake-up call at halftime. TheMustangs also capitalized on a fumble recovery and a 55-yard puntreturn in the third quarter to turn back the Lawrence CountyCougars 39-15 Friday night in the South State 4A semifinals.

An overflow crowd, estimated at 4,000, watched Lawrence Countybattle the unbeaten Mustangs to a 15-15 halftime deadlock. TheMustangs (13-0) got a dazzling 55-yard punt return for a touchdownfrom Bruce Ducksworth and a 10-yard scoring drive off a Cougarfumble to lead 29-15 with 8:14 left in the third quarter.

The Mustangs advance to the South championship game, meetingWayne County (12-1) at Waynesboro Friday night in a rematch of aregular season game. Lawrence County, enjoying its best seasonsince the 1999 state championship campaign, finishes 10-3.

“Our team came from nowhere to be 10-3,” said LCHS coach TrentHammond. “Our kids played hard. Those mistakes in the third quarterhurt us.

“My hat’s off to West Jones,” Hammond continued. “They areextremely quick defensively and loaded offensively.”

Hammond’s Cougars dominated the first half and amassed 266rushing yards for the game. Senior quarterback Casey Williamsscored both first quarter touchdowns on short runs. Williams alsoran a 2-point conversion, giving the Cougars a 15-7 lead with 1:59left in the first frame.

When West Jones quarterback Brett Hyatt was sacked for a 10-yardloss, outside linebacker Travis Baker recovered at the Mustangs’38-yard line. Seven plays later, Williams scored on a sneak. JustinStamps kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Hyatt, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior, was sacked once more latein the third quarter when linebacker Joe Smith broke through. Forthe game, Hyatt completed 5 of 11 passes for 122 yards. He rushed 9times for 49 yards.

“Lawrence County was quick and they played really hard ondefense,” said Hyatt. “They put pressure on me and I had less timeto pass than I’ve had all year.”

Hyatt hooked up with fleet-footed wide receiver Britt Barefootfor a 54-yard gainer to the Cougars’ 3-yard line. Justin Youngscored on the next play, Barefoot kicked the extra point and it was7-7.

In the second quarter, Hyatt led the Mustangs on a 70-yardscoring drive. His 26-yard scramble to the Cougars’ 3-yard line setup a scoring plunge by 198-pound junior Archie Sims. Going for the2-point conversion, Sims took the handoff over left tackle and theMustangs had a 15-15 knot with 6:53 left in the first half.

“In the first half, Lawrence County played our butts off,” saidWest Jones head coach Scott Pierson. “They had the ball the wholefirst half. They played us as hard as anyone we’ve played.”

Looking at his team’s 3-touchdown second half, Pierson said,”That fumble and punt return were big for us.”

Ducksworth gathered in the punt at his 45-yard line, shed atackler and raced down the sidelines for the go-ahead TD. On thenext series, Lawrence County’s Chris Jefferson fumbled on a reversehandoff and West Jones nose guard Ray Pickering (5-6, 160, so.)recovered at the LCHS 10-yard line.

Three plays later, Hyatt scored on a sneak, giving the Mustangsa 29-15 advantage.

Sims rumbled 14 yards for the next TD, capping a 99-yard scoringdrive which required 13 plays. Barefoot’s booming PAT made it36-15.

Barefoot put all but 1 of his kickoffs deep in the end zone. Hemade a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter after missing a53-yarder at the end of the first half.

Lawrence County was minus 205-pound senior fullback RandyFerdinand who had sustained a knee injury in last week’s win overNortheast Lauderdale. Hammond said Ferdinand, the team’s secondleading rusher and key blocker in the double-wing offense, wasdearly missed.

“Randy is the hub in our offensive wheel,” said Hammond. “Wemissed him.”

The Cougars wore No. 23 stickers on the backs of their helmetsin honor of Cedric Oatis who was injured during preseason practicein mid-August. Oatis is recovering from a stroke cause by a pinchedartery in his neck. He was at Friday night’s game, watching fromthe sideline and walking with a cane.