(Clay Williams, Ben Ledbetter – JPJ

Week four of the Jonesboro-Hodge football season is one that the Tigers will look to quickly forget. The 44-8 Thursday night loss to the visiting Lincoln Prep Panthers was probably the toughest pill to swallow for J-Hodge so far this year.

The second Thursday game of the season for JHHS started out promising. The Tigers started out aggressive and wanting to throw the ball after last week’s record-setting offensive performance. The defense was continuing to play stout as they have all season and forced an early 3-and-out for Lincoln Prep.

Everything changed midway through the 1st quarter after Lincoln Prep took their second timeout of the game. Panther head coach Glen Hall drew up the best play call either team would make all night by running a toss to the right side for the running back, who then immediately pitched it to a wide receiver who reversed the field on the Tigers. It caught all 11 players on the J-Hodge defense off-guard, and he ran 81 yards to the end zone for an early 8-0 lead.

Oddly enough, this would be one of only two offensive touchdowns for Lincoln Prep on their 44-point night as the Panther defense would account for three touchdowns and a safety to go along with a kick-off return for a score. 

The deficit would grow to 14-0 with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter when L-Prep defensive back, Tre Spann, stepped in front of a pass and return the interception 40 yards for a “pick six” score. 

As he has done all season, JHHS star defensive lineman, Ken’Wuan Atkins then made a stellar play to help get the Tigers back in it. Atkins got into the Panther backfield, chased down the quarterback, stripped the ball from his hands, and immediately pounced on it as it hit the ground. This set up J-Hodge with their best field position of the night on the Lincoln Prep 35-yard line.

Landon Boston broke through the right side for his best carry of the season, and the Tiger offensive line helped Dakota Knox gain 14 yards on a QB sneak to move the ball to the Panther six-yard line. A few plays later, Knox rolled left and waltzed in for a score after a tremendous block by wideout, Christian Palmer, wiped out the only Panther defender. Za’Mauryian Palmer snagged the 2-point conversion, and it seemed like J-Hodge was back in the mix of things now trailing only by a 14-8 margin.

Then the short-lived momentum change took a devastating turn. D’Tavion Wright fielded the ensuing kickoff on his own 30-yard line, broke a couple of tackles and executed a beautiful spin move leading to a 70-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give Lincoln Pep a 20-8 lead at the half.

The second half saw Lincoln Prep score off a fumble return for a touchdown, another pick-six interception return, a safety, and then finally, to cap it off in normal fashion for once, a 10-yard touchdown run.

“You simply can’t make the mistakes we made and expect to win,” said JHHS head coach Terrance Blankenship. “We are our own worst enemy right now and we have to figure out a way to get this fixed.” 

 Adding to the play of Atkins, who recorded 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries another bright spot taken from the game was the play of D.J. Palmer who made some big pass breakups from his safety position and caught 2 passes for 32 yards at wide receiver.

With the loss, Jonesboro-Hodge dropped to 0-4 on the season and 0-1 in district 1-1A play, while Lincoln Prep improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in district. The Tigers will next be in action at Arcadia on Friday, October 4th. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm.