Eagles Landing gives Jones County a heart-breaking loss in Double Overtime Thriller, 30–24
In a disappointing, hard fought, finish the Jones County Greyhounds fell in double overtime Friday night, dropping a crucial game to the Eagles Landing Golden Eagles on their Senior night, 30–24, in a key Region 2-4A matchup.
The Greyhounds (6–3, 5–3 Region) made their final road trip of the regular season looking to lock in a playoff position, while the Golden Eagles (5–4, 4–4 Region) were playing the spoilers, as their postseason hopes had already been eliminated.
Jones County wasted no time making noise. J.R. Clark provided the Tri-Co-Go High Speed Play of the Game, taking the opening kickoff from his own 7-yard line and sprinting 63 yards downfield before being caught at the Eagles Landing 30 by the Golden Eagle’s AJ Walters, a feat that has not happened to Clark all year.
The drive eventually stalled at the 6-yard line, turning the ball over on downs. Eagles Landing answered with a bruising 17-play, 94-yard drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from Ronald Isidore, who began a huge night on the ground. The extra point by Dallas Patterson made it 7–0 with only 1:28 left, after using 9:01 off of the 1st quarter clock.
Jones County got on the board early in the second quarter on the ensuing drive when Jacob Watts connected with a field goal from 32 yards out to make it 7–3. Moments later, Isaac Elliott recovered a fumble at the Golden Eagles’ 44-yard line, and the Hounds capitalized. Kaden Canty finished a 9-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, giving Jones County a 10–7 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Greyhounds’ special teams immediately created another opportunity when Junior Holloway recovered a hard, fast kickoff that bounced off the chest of the kick returner and fell on the ground at the Eagles Landing 21, but the drive stalled, and a missed 37-yard field goal, wide left, kept the score 10–7 heading into halftime.
Both teams exchanged punts early in the third quarter before Hunter Harvick recovered another Golden Eagle fumble to give Jones County possession near midfield. However, the Hounds couldn’t move the chains, and were forced to punt. Then the defense forced a 3 and out, but a special teams miscue soon proved costly when the punted football bounced off a Greyhound blocker and it was recovered by Eagles Landing at the 20-yard line.
The Jones County defense held strong, forcing a 29-yard field goal by Patterson that tied the game 10–10 with exactly 2 minutes left in the third.
That’s when Sportsmic Offensive Player of the Game, Travis Miller, took over. The sophomore running back ripped off a 41-yard run and capped the drive one play later with a 7-yard touchdown, putting the Hounds ahead 17–10 with only 2 seconds left in the third quarter.
Golden Eagles Force Overtime
Eagles Landing responded on the ensuing drive in the fourth quarter when quarterback Tyler Fletcher connected with Darryl Norwood Jr. on a beautiful 34-yard touchdown pass, on a pump fake on a stop and go route by the receiver, knotting the game at 17–17 with just under nine minutes remaining.
Both defenses stiffened until late in regulation, when Sportsmic Defensive Player of the Game, Andre Hall, made a huge play. Hall, who was all over the field throughout the night, came through with a blocked punt recovered by Zaire Jones at the Golden Eagles 37 with only 32 seconds left.
Jones County moved the ball eight yards and attempted a 46-yard field goal as time expired, but the kick came up just short, sending the game into overtime tied 17–17.
Eagles Landing struck first in the extra period as Isidore powered in from six yards out — his second touchdown of the game — giving the Golden Eagles a 24–17 lead.
Jones County answered when Cason Taylor, on second-and-20, found Drew Williams for a spectacular 25-yard touchdown catch, with a defender on his back, tying it once again at 24 after the Jacob Watts’ PAT.
In the second overtime, Jones County’s offense stalled after a penalty, and a 30-yard field goal attempt missed wide right. Eagles Landing then sealed the win when Isidore drove into the end zone off left tackle for a 3-yard touchdown run, his third of the night, giving the Golden Eagles the 30–24 victory.
By the Numbers
Jones County Greyhounds
• First Downs: 14
• Rushing: 34 carries, 161 yards (4.7 avg), 3 TDs
• Travis Miller: 10 carries, 102 yards (10.2 avg), 1 TD; 2 receptions, 0 yards
• Passing: Cason Taylor 6-of-13, 27 yards
• J.R. Clark: 1 reception, 21 yards
Eagles Landing Golden Eagles
• First Downs: 12
• Rushing: 42 carries, 185 yards (4.4 avg), 3 TDs
• Ronald Isidore: 28 carries, 134 yards (4.8 avg), 3 TDs
• Tyler Fletcher: 10 carries, 56 yards (5.6 avg)
• Passing: Tyler Fletcher 11-of-17, 67 yards, 1 TD
• Darryl Norwood Jr.: 2 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TD
With the loss, Jones County must defeat Locust Grove at home next Friday to secure a playoff berth. A victory would give the Greyhounds a potential spot in the playoffs as a 3rd or 4th seed depending on the final scores of the other remaining region games.
