Turnovers prove costly for Jonesboro-Hodge in 7-0 defeat

Three turnovers proved to be quite costly for the Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers at the Bayou Jamb in Ruston Saturday, as the Tigers succumbed to Franklin Parish 7-0 at Joe Aillet Stadium.

The game-winning touchdown was ignited by an Ed’Tavious Drayton fumble at the J-Hodge 27 yard line. The Patriots made the most of the takeaway and covered the 27 yards on 9 plays to paydirt. Bryce Curtis rolled right and hit Javion White for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 6:38 remaining in the game for the deciding points.

It wasn’t easy, though. The Tigers made them work for it.

On second and goal and from the one, Xavier Atkins met Kenyon Martin in the hold for no gain. Then Karmekizik Barber threw Rodney Boyd for a two-yard loss to set up fourth down and White’s TD catch.

“We struggled throwing the ball again. Those two turnovers on that side of the field in the red zone hurt us and then we had that fumble that was big,” Jonesboro-Hodge head coach Terrance Blankenship said.

Jonesboro-Hodge dominated the first half with two long drives, both ending in Cameron Leonard interceptions on the Franklin Parish side of the field.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 44 yards into Patriot territory, but on fourth down from the 26 Avery Johnson picked off a Leonard aerial to end the threat.

Franklin Parish went three-and-out and the Tigers set up shop at their own 40. Drayton was the workhorse, picking up 10 yards following a 9-yard completion from Cameron Leonard to Chance Leonard. What seemed like an interception by Andra McMahon was negated by a Franklin Parish pass interference penalty that gave the Tigers a first down at the Franklin Parish 22.

Two plays later, Cameron Leonard was intercepted again, this time by Kendrick Thomas at the goal line.

Drayton had 10 carries for 46 yards at halftime in a what could be deemed a successful debut as the Tiger tailback.

Jonesboro-Hodge’s defense against flexed its muscles to open the second half, forcing a three-and-out after Atkins chased the quarterback down to force an incompletion on third down and long.

The Tigers took over at their own 17, but that’s when disaster struck. Drayton was fighting for extra yardage on a first down carry and after picking up 10 yards, coughed up the football and gave the ball back to set up the winning drive.

Drayton ended the game with 12 carries for 58 yards. “We ran the ball well and our goal line defense was good today,” Blankenship added. “Drayton was good running the ball. We just have to build a rotation now. We have 16 seniors so I think we need to just wake up and we’ll be alright.”

Jonesboro-Hodge will open regular season play Friday on the road at General Trass.