BOGUE CHITTO – The 2000 football season is providing plenty ofthrilling finishes to hard-fought games.

BOGUE CHITTO – The 2000 football season is providing plenty ofthrilling finishes to hard-fought games. In an ancient rivalryFriday night, J.R. Alexander’s 25-yard field goal with just 10seconds left to play lifted the North Pike Jaguars to a 24-22 winover the Bogue Chitto Bobcats on Troy E. Smith Field.

In a see-saw battle which saw Bogue Chitto erase and early 15-0deficit, the Bobcats had taken a 22-21 lead when Luke Hale scoopedup a fumbled punt return and carried it 5 yards for a TD and 8:52left in the game.

Alexander, a 5-foot-8, 140-pound senior, calmly soccer-styledthe field goal through the uprights of the goal post. “I had a goodfeeling it was going over. The snap was a little high but Mike(Clements) got it down. I’m real happy about it.”

Alexander plays goalkeeper on the North Pike soccer team. He hasfew opportunities to kick field goals. In fact, Friday night’s kickwas his first.

“We had confidence in (Alexander),” said Clements. “He had beenkicking them good in practice.”

Clements, a senior quarterback, took the snap from centerKendell Magee and got the ball placed properly for Alexander. Fiveplays earlier, Clements had scrambled 38 yards to the Bogue Chitto17, giving the Jaguars a big boost on the game-winning drive.

“We started sucking wind when (Bogue Chitto) went ahead,” saidClements. “We were hanging our heads. We decided to show ourdedication to a player, Zach Davis, who was on our team.”

Davis would have been a senior lineman this year. He was killedin an auto accident last spring.

Recalling his long run, Clements said, “I felt like I didn’thave anything left in me. I was running on pure adrenalin.”

From the 17, Davis was twice tackled for losses totaling 13yards, pushed back to the 30-yard line. But Bogue Chitto wasflagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty on second down. The Jaguarsgot to replay second down from the 15.

Magee gained 7 yards to the Bogue Chitto 8. On third down,Clements spiked the ball to kill the clock with 15 secondsshowing.

After the field goal, there was some confusion regarding theapparent fifth down play. North Pike coach Adam Barron said histeam has been awarded a first down on the face mask penalty.

Bogue Chitto coach Carl Cole and his team were stunned by thelate field goal and the loss. “It looked like North Pike had fivedowns. It doesn’t add up.”

Cole said he was proud of his team’s comeback effort. “We aregoing to have to learn to tackle better on defense and establish arunning game on offense. We can pass the ball well.”

The Bobcats (0-2) had trouble stopping Clyde Brumfield, NorthPike’s 245-pound sophomore fullback. Brumfield scored his team’sfirst two touchdowns on runs of 9 and 15 yards. He finished with 16carries for 107 yards.

North Pike went up 15-0 in the first quarter. Steve Garner ranthe 2-point conversion after Alexander kicked the first extrapoint.

Bogue Chitto responded with a 59-yard touchdown pass fromquarterback Jacob Leggett. John Wallace ran the 2-point conversionout of the Huddle Play formation and Bogue Chitto trailed 15-8 with19 seconds left in the first quarter.

Defensive back Cody Wallace set up the next Bogue Chittotouchdown when he intercepted Clements at the North Pike 36-yardline and returned it to the Jaguars’ 3. On first down, LindseyJackson plunged over right tackle for the TD.

On the 2-point conversion, Dominique Addison passed to CodyWallace and the Bobcats led 16-15 with 2:36 until halftime.

The Jaguars came roaring back. They marched 75 yards in 6 plays.Garner went the final 7 yards around right end for the TD and :09left on the clock. North Pike led 21-16 at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Bobcats capitalized on aNorth Pike turnover. Anthony Wheeler fumbled a punt return at his8-yard line when he was tackled. Hale scooped up the ball anddashed across the goal line, giving Bogue Chitto a 22-21advantage.

Barron, a 1985 Bogue Chitto graduate, was coaching his firstgame against his alma mater. An assistant coach at North Pike lastyear, Barron replaced Darryl Brock who became North Pike principalthis summer.

“It was a big win for us,” said Barron. “We turned the ball overtoo much and I think our youth was showing. We were able to run theball well against Bogue Chitto’s defense.”

North Pike rolled up 287 yards rushing and none passing. TheBobcats got 79 yards rushing and 183 passing. Edwards caught 6passes for 140 yards.

John Wallace, Bogue Chitto’s standout junior linebacker, wassidelined by a deep shoulder bruise and didn’t play the secondhalf. @Bbstandings: STATISTICS NP BC First Downs 16 9Rushes-Yards 48-287 30-79 Passing Yards 0 183 Total Yards 287`262Passes 0-6-1 9-10-1 Fumbles-Lost 3-3 4-2 Punts-Average 3-33.34-31.2 Penalties-Yards 9-75 6-50 North Pike 15 6 0 3 – 24 BogueChitto 8 8 0 6 – 22 FIRST QUARTER North Pike, Brumfield 9 run(Alexander kick), 2:07. North Pike, Brumfield 11 run (Garner run),1:46. Bogue Chitto, Edwards 59 pass from J. Leggett (J. Wallacerun), :19. SECOND QUARTER Bogue Chitto, Jackson 3 run (C. Wallacepass from Addison), 2:36. North Pike, Garner 7 run (pass failed),:09. FOURTH QUARTER Bogue Chitto, HALE 5 fumble return (passfailed), 8:52. North Pike, Alexander 25 field goal, :10. INDIVIDUALLEADERS RUSHING: North Pike, Brumfield 16-107, Magee 12-89,Clements 4-32, Wheeler 7-22, Garner 7-20, Quin 1-1, McDowell 1-2.Bogue Chitto, J. Cutrer 10-59, Lowe 10-8, J. Wallace 2-7, Jackson4-7, Addison 1-1. PASSING: North Pike, Clements 0-6-1. BogueChitto, Leggett 9-19-1, 183. RECEIVING: North Pike, none. BogueChitto, Edwards 6-140, C. Wallace 2-38, J. Wallace1-5.