Jags make history

SKIPPERVILLE – Friday night Barbour County took out its pen and rewrote history.

The Jaguars came from behind to score a 16-14 win against G.W. Long to notch their fourth win of the season – the most in a single season in the program’s history. It also marked the first time that Clayton High School or Barbour County scored a win against G.W. Long.

“You guys made history tonight by playing a tough game,” Barbour County head coach Juan Williams told his team following the game. “Keep believing in yourselves and dreaming with me and don’t give up.”

Williams credited the offensive line for paving the way for the Jaguar offense which rolled up 202 yards of total offense, including 118 yards on the ground, in the win.

The Jaguars depended heavily on their rushing attack from the start of the game. Behind the running of Calvin Fenn and Devondrick Richardson, the Jaguars marched down the field for a score on their opening possession. Fenn did the honors with a 2-yard run that gave Barbour County a 6-0 lead.

The Jaguar defense, nicknamed the “Black Cloud,” preserved the lead late in the second quarter when it held the Rebels out of the end zone from its own 8-yard line.

Barbour County led 8-0 at the break.

G.W. Long scored two third-quarter touchdowns when running back Dwayne Whigham broke free for a 45-yard scoring run and quarterback Mason Stevens connected with wide receiver Tyler Moates for an 8-yard touchdown. 

Harrison Collier banged both extra-point attempts through the uprights to give the Rebels a 14-6 lead.

The Rebels had a chance to put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter. With the Rebels on the Barbour County 13-yard line, Fenn made a game-saving play when he intercepted Stevens’ pass at the 5-yard line and returned it to the 34-yard line.

An 11-yard completion to Richardson, a 16-yard completion to Jermale Blackmon and a 17-yard completion to Fenn put the Jaguars in striking distance of the end zone.

Barbour County quarterback Quantez McCrae completed 5-of-13 pass attempts for 84 yards in the win.

Near the three-minute mark of the quarter, Fenn scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run.

Fenn finished the game with a team-high 73 yards rushing and had one reception for 17 yards.

McCrae ran in the two-point conversion attempt to knot the game 14-all.

On the ensuing kickoff, Shaquille Haynes and Donovan Hobdy pinned Whigham at the Rebel 8-yard line. Three plays later, Stevens threw a lateral in the end zone to Whigham who was tackled by Fenn and a host of Jaguars. Whigham tried to throw the ball but was called for intentional grounding resulting in a safety and a 16-14 win for the Jaguars.

Fenn led the Barbour County defense with 15 tackles. Richardson added 13 and Nicholas Brooks and Robert Lampley each recorded eight tackles.

Barbour County (4-2, 3-1 Class 2A, Region 2) will celebrate homecoming Friday night by hosting New Brockton. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.