Cobras ambush McLaurin

Published 5:00 am Monday, September 26, 2005

WESSON — McLaurin senior tailback Kevin Quick and the Tigerscame into Friday night’s game with the Wesson Cobras riding highafter upsetting St. Andrew’s 42-35 a week earlier. Quick had rushedfor 409 yards and scored six touchdowns in that win.

Not so Friday night.

The Wesson offense made the plays when they had to and the Cobradefense kept Quick out of the end zone to earn a tough 33-12homecoming win at Stone Stadium on the Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege campus.

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Quick was held to 26 rushes for 183 yards and no touchdowns.

Wesson improved to 3-0 on the season with the win. McLaurin fellto 2-1 with the loss.

“We came out and our kids were ready,” said Wesson head footballcoach Tommy Clopton. “We didn’t give up the big plays. McLaurin isthe best football team we have played so far.”

The Cobras stopped the Tigers on their first possession andforced them the punt. Wesson senior running back Chance Peets tookthe fourth down punt and returned it 64-yards down the leftsideline for a touchdown. Blake Brister kicked the extra point andthe Cobras led the Tigers 7-0 with 10:13 left in the firstquarter.

After turning the ball back to the Cobras on downs, Wesson ranthree plays to set up a 40-yard dash down the left sideline byjunior quarterback Micah Davis. Brister went on to make 1 out of 3PATs to push the hosts lead to 14-0 with 6:35 left.

In the second quarter, Wesson got the ball back after Bristerblocked a field goal attempt by the Tigers at the 11:31 mark.

Starting from their own 29-yard line, the Cobras drove 71 yardsin seven players to set up a 42-yard run up the middle by Davis topush the hosts lead to 20-0 with 8:54 remaining in the secondquarter.

Wesson got a break at the 2:19 mark when Davis intercepted a TimWilliams pass in the Wesson end zone to end the Tigers’ scoringthreat.

On the Tigers’ first possession in the third quarter, they ransix plays before sophomore strong safety Roy Williams recovered aMcLaurin fumble at the Cobra 27 with 7:24 left.

Wesson’s offense ran 15 plays that carried over into the fourthquarter. The hosts scored on a 9-yard pass-play from Davis tosenior wide receiver Mason Warren and a 26-0 lead with 11:20 leftin the game.

McLaurin put together a 10-play, 75-yard drive that resulted inan 18-yard scramble by running back Quotasze Williams for sixpoints. Fpllowing a failed two-point conversion, the Tigers had cutthe Cobras lead to 26-6 with 7:22 left on the clock.

On its next possession, Wesson marched 57 yards in six plays toset up a 31-yard burst by Davis for the TD. Brister’s PAT provideda 33-6 lead for the Cobras with 4:20 remaining in the game.

The Tigers weren’t’ finished. They marched 64 yards in sevenplays to set up a 2-yard plunge by Anthony Walker.

Wesson got the ball back and ran out the final 2:05 on the clockto secure the win.

Senior Brandon Malbourgh, who is starting center for Wesson,said he was happy with the victory. “I feel real good about thewin,”

Otho Smith sparked the Cobras with 15 carries for 91 yards.Davis rushed for 134 yards on 13 carries. Brister picked up 30yards on nine runs.

For McLaurin, Walker followed Quick with eight carries for 44yards. Williams rushed three times for 28 yards.

“My hats are off to our seniors,” added Clopton. “They do aheckuva job leading us.”

Defensively, Williams led the Cobras with 10 tackles.Bobby Harris and Brister followed with nine tackles apiece. PhillipFreeman finished with eight tackles.

Wesson plays a Thursday night special at Stone Stadium,hosting defending Class 1A state champ Mize. Kickoff is set for7:30 p.m.