(Clay Williams – JPJ)

After two disappointing weeks of football for the Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers, the week three matchup vs Delhi Charter felt like the perfect opportunity for the team to finally come alive. While the 45-26 outcome was not J-H’s first win of 2024 season, there were many positive takeaways, and even a record-breaking performance to celebrate.

The game began with J-Hodge receiving the kickoff and picking up a couple first downs before inevitably punting the ball to Delhi Charter. But then two plays later, the hosting Gators fumbled the ball on a handoff, and J-Hodge’s Kyron Atkins pounced on it to set the Tigers up with great field position on the 28-yard line. There already was a sense of positive energy for the Tigers during this game.

Dakota Knox and Christian McGuire worked the running game down to the 2-yard line, and the Tigers were knocking on the door for their points of the season. A false start on 3rd down pushed back J-H, and two plays later Delhi Charter would take over on their own 7-yard line.

This was when Delhi Charter leaned on their two-headed monster backfield of Keidron Thomas and Tayven Carter. The pair helped the Gators go on a 19 play, 93-yard scoring drive that consumed almost 10 minutes of the game clock.

It was a 7-0 lead for Delhi Charter with 3:43 left in the 1st half, and that would be the score at halftime. While there were only six offensive drives between the two teams in the 1st half, there would be PLENTY of fireworks in the final 24 minutes.

Delhi Charter got the ball to open the 2nd half, and just like their first offensive drive of the game, they fumbled the ball on their third play with Kyron Atkins recovering it again. This time though, Jonesboro-Hodge made the most of their great field position when Dakota Knox connected with Christian McGuire on a 31-yard touchdown pass, the first points of the Tigers season. J-Hodge would not get the 2-point conversion, and it’d be a 7-6 Gator lead very early in the 3rd quarter.

Over the final 11 minutes of the third quarter the two offenses would combine for 5 touchdowns, 351 yards, and 34 points. The Tigers would be behind 27-20 going into the final frame. What was a slow and physical game in the first half, had turned into a track meet in the blink of an eye.

There were many highlights from Jonesboro-Hodge’s 3rd quarter offensive explosion. After numerous injuries and cramps for the Tigers, freshman Ja’Marlon Johnson entered the game and he immediately sparked the Tiger offense with two big receptions, including one for 41 yards. Dakota Knox found the end zone on a quarterback sneak. Christian McGuire inched his way towards the record books with a few more receptions, the most noteworthy one being at the end of the quarter when he juked a Gator and sprinted 76 yards to the house.

The fourth quarter was one that felt like it should’ve been played with an asterisk given how many J-Hodge defenders were sidelined due to injury, cramps and fatigue, a result of playing on both sides of the ball in humid Louisiana conditions. Delhi Charter took advantage by breaking several long runs for scores. 

Regardless, the Tigers never gave up. Two more fumbles were forced and recovered by Ken’Wuan Atkins and Dakota Knox, bringing the impressive total to four on the night.

At the LHSAA instituted water break that came at the 6:00 mark in the 4th quarter, J-H trailed 39-20. Logic called for the Tigers to start looking forward to next week but Dakota Knox and Christian McGuire had other plans.

Knox took the snap out of the shotgun, and immediately lofted the ball deep down the field. The Gator defenders were not ready for this pass, and McGuire sprinted past them and under the ball for what would be a 74-yard pitch and catch to cut the deficit to 13 points.

While in the moment this play didn’t seem like much more than the Tigers continuing the fight until the last whistle, it was actually a record-breaking play.

Christian McGuire set the Jonesboro-Hodge single-game receiving yards record on this play with 230 yards on just 6 catches, surpassing Devontae Mozee’s 188-yard semifinal performance vs Amite in 2021. Dakota Knox also achieved 295 yards passing on this play, good enough for 2nd on the J-H single-game passing yards list, only behind Tydre Malone’s 312 yards in that same semifinal matchup vs Amite in 2021.

The final score was in favor of the Gators, but it was a night where Jonesboro-Hodge saw many things to be excited for the rest of the season, and school history that could last a lifetime.

The Tigers will be on back at home next week, where they will open district 1-1A play by hosting the Lincoln Prep Panthers. Kickoff will be at 7:00 on Thursday Night.