PRCC’s Tavis Williams finds the end zone for third straight game in 88th Cat Fight
POPLARVILLE — Pearl River fell behind early and never overtook visiting Jones College on Thursday, falling 48-7 in the 88th edition of the Cat Fight.
The Wildcats begin a string of Saturday games starting next week when PRCC (0-6, 0-4) visits Southwest in Summit on Oct. 13 for a 5 p.m. kickoff. PRCC hosts homecoming against Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 and then closes out the season at Mississippi Delta on Oct. 27. The game against the Trojans is a 2:30 p.m. start.
Trailing 14-0 midway through the second quarter, PRCC capitalized on a Jones (5-1, 4-0) miscue. The Bobcats attempted to catch PRCC snoozing with an onside kick, but the ball only traveled two yards. The Wildcats cashed in on the early mistake, capping a six-play drive when quarterback Tavis Williams (Gulfport; Harrison Central) gashed the Bobcats up the middle for a 17-yard score. The touchdown marked Williams third rushing score in as many games as PRCC’s starting signal caller.
Pearl River quarterback Tavis Williams sends a pass down field during Thursday's 88th edition of the Cat Fight against Jones College. JC won 48-7. (JUCOWeekly.org)
Williams was under duress for much of the game, completing 6 of 16 passes for 14 yards. He also rushed 17 times but because of a handful of sacks he finished with just eight yards on the ground.
Ron Thompson (Bassfield) showed early on Thursday why he’s one of the top running backs in the MACJC, ripping off a 61-yard run. The sophomore finished with a team-high 80 yards on eight carries.
Defensive back Darrell Luter (Hattiesburg; Oak Grove) made one of PRCC’s better defensive plays in the game when he stayed step for step with JC’s receiver down the visitor’s sideline and picked off a long pass that would have otherwise gone for a big gain.
JC quarterback Stetson Bennett completed 12 of 19 passes for 177 yards with three touchdowns; a 15-yard score to Gabe Douglas, 62-yard pass to Kalyn Grandberry and 34-yard pass to Immanuel Jones. He also scored on a 6-yard run.
Grandberry paced all running backs with 175 yards and two scores of 11 and 73 yards on 20 carries. He was also JC’s leading receiver, catching four passes for 65 yards and the aforementioned score.
EXTRA POINTS
PRCC held a “pink out” as part of Thursday night’s festivities in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The team proudly wore a special pink stripe down the middle of their helmets with the names of breast cancer survivors.
