WESSON – The Kemper County Wildcats came to Stone Stadium Fridaynight and found out the Wesson Cobras were a league better. Wessonis the defending Region 6 champ and Kemper County was the Region 5and No. 4 ranked team.

In the first round of the Class 2A state football playoffs, thehost Cobras handed the Wildcats a 49-8 beating and advance to thesecond round. Wesson (10-1) hosts No. 3 Scott Central (7-4) out ofRegion 5 this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. Scott Central shut out St.Andrew’s 42-0 Friday. Kemper County, coached by Undray Scott, wasplagued by six turnovers and ended its season with a 2-9record.

“I’m proud of them,” said Wesson head coach Ronald Greer. “Wecame out and played real well. We came back in the second half andplayed good defense.”

The Cobras took the opening kickoff and marched 83 yards toscore on a 20-yard burst by senior quarterback Jason Shannon on akeeper. Nick Gunter kicked the PAT and Wesson led Kemper County 7-0with 7:52 left in the first quarter. Gunter, a sophomore, kicked 5out of 7 extra points.

The Wildcats were held to four downs and forced to punt on theirfirst possession. The center snapped the football over punter JimmyEades’ head and the Cobras recovered for a safety and 9-0 edge atthe 8 minute mark.

Kemper County kicked off to Wesson and the Cobras marched61-yards to set up a nine-yard spurt by senior runningback MarcusCorley for paydirt and a 16-0 lead over the Wildcats with 6:28showing.

Wesson recovered a Kemper County fumble at the Cobra 35 at the6:15 mark to set up another scoring drive. It took four plays toset up a four-yard pass-play from quarterback Nick Gunter to seniorrunningback Billy Ray Miller for the TD and a 23-0 lead at the endof the first quarter.

Wesson recovered a Kemper County fumble with 38 seconds left inthe first quarter at the Wildcat 43 and continued driving into thesecond quarter. Junior runningback Emanuel Sinclair broke free andscored a six-yard touchdown at the 11:10 mark and Wesson went up30-0.

At the 4:11 mark, Wesson recovered a Kemper County fumble at theCobra 40-yard line. It took seven plays to set up a six yard run byBilly Ray Miller for the TD and 36-0 advantage.

Wesson kicked off to Kemper County to start the second quarter.On the first play, senior defensive back Richie Miller intercepteda Courtney Moncrief pass at the Wildcat 41 to set up another Cobrascoring drive. Corley ran six yards for the touchdown to cap aneight-play drive and pushed Wesson’s lead to 43-0 with 6:40left.

The Cobras controlled the football coming into the fourthquarter and punched in their final touchdown of the night on a22-yard burst by junior runningback Lavelle Jackson with 8:46 leftto play.

Kemper County got a safety at the 1:36 mark on the Cobras andfollowed up with a 25-yard touchdown run by junior runningbackLaShawn Triplett with 16 second left.

Wesson posted 16 first downs and 449 total offensive yards. TheCobras rushed 42 times for 410 yards.

Shannon and Gunter split quarterbacking chores and completed apass apiece for the Cobras. Corley caught one pass for 35 yards andRichie Miller made one catch for four yards.

Corley directed the Wesson running game with 10 rushes for 108yards and returned a punt 35 yards. Billy Ray Miller rushed 13times for 93 yards. Williams had six carries for 59 yards. Gunterpicked up 27 yards on one carry.

Defensively, Billy Ray Miller powered Wesson with 10tackles. Collecting nine tackles was Sinclair. Dyess collectedeight tackles. Richie Miller intercepted three passes. Recovering afumble apiece were Matt Dyess, Russell Robinson and Wesley Page.Williams recorded a quarterback sack.

“You never take a team for granted in the playoffs,”Greer said to his team after the win. “You’re going to have tofight for four quarters. It’s going to get a lot tougher from hereon out.”