The theme of McComb’s football season isn’t rocket science — win the games it’s supposed to win.
Wingfield was one of those games and McComb took care of business Friday night in dominating fashion. The Tigers held the Falcons to 68 total yards in a 43-6 win on homecoming, held at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
McComb racked up 417 total yards, junior quarterback Alex Woodall threw for three touchdowns, and wide receiver Quartavious Smith had a pair of TDs — one receiving, one rushing — as the Tigers eclipsed the 40-point mark for the second straight game and came within one second of recording their second shutout of the season.
The win puts McComb (7-1, 4-1) in sole possession of second place in Region 4-5A. The Tigers can clinch a playoff berth with a victory next weekend at West Jones.
“I thought that was pretty good,” McComb coach Malcolm Jones said of the defensive performance. “I felt like they still were able to get some big chunks of yards. We’ve got to be able to stop that run, but we are pleased with only six points. I wish it could have been a shutout. Oh well.”
McComb vastly improved its defensive effort from the previous three games. The Tigers entered the game allowing a shade above 30 points per game. Wingfield (0-9) is by no means an offensive juggernaut, but Jones had to like the outcome.
Wingfield managed minus-8 total yards in the first half and was in negative yards the entire game until a string of drives in the fourth quarter upped the total.
McComb forced 15 negative plays and held Wingfield’s rushing attack to 58 yards on 45 carries (1.28 yards per carry). The Tigers also blocked three punts, recovered two fumbles and picked off a pass.
“When we saw them on film, we noticed they didn’t block and that was one of our goals, to make things happen on special teams so we could control field position,” Jones said.”
Running back Charvoun Ward blocked two of the three punts, one that went for a safety two minutes before halftime to give McComb a 22-0 lead.
“That kid has a lot of speed, so anyway he can contribute and can help us win, we’ll take it,” Jones said.
Ward finished with 38 yards to help a quartet of Tigers’ 237 rushing yards. Smith racked up a quick 58 yards on two jet sweeps and Aquindus Henson, who scored four times last week against South Jones, had 46 yards and a touchdown. Woodall added 30 yards to go along with 180 passing yards, the three touchdowns and one interception.
McComb opened the game at a furious pace, something Jones likened to Oregon’s high-octane offense. The Tigers needed a total of nine plays on their first three drives to open a 20-0 lead.
Adrian Brown took a wide receiver screen from Woodall on the fifth play of the game and weaved 45 yards for a score.
“Most people’s solution to passing is to do a lot of blitzing,” Jones said. “That’s what we want you to do. Come on and blitz and we’re going to let those guys go and get that ball outside and let those blockers get out in front of them.”
After McComb partially blocked a Wingfield punt, Woodall connected with Smith for a 42-yard score. Woodall underthrew the ball in double coverage, but Smith undercut two Wingfield defenders at the 10-yard line and waltzed into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
That was one of the few times Wingfield doubled McComb’s wide receivers. The rest of the game, the Falcons played man-to-man, which was probably a mistake.
“I don’t care who it is, if you play man-to-man, we’ll go up top like that,” Jones said. “It’s hard for a college kid to play man-to-man, and you’re asking a high school kid to play man-to-man. … It’s not going to happen.”
McComb forced another three-and-out after Smith’s TD and a pair of jet sweeps from Smith and Kevonte Dillion set up Henson’s 10-yard run.
Right before the end of the first half, Woodall found Brown in the back of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown and a 29-0 lead.
Brown caught just two passes, but both went for touchdowns in what was his biggest game of his career.
“I’m glad to see him step up,” Jones said. “It’s a kid who decided at the beginning of the year ... he wasn’t going to play anymore. But heck, you look at what he can do with his athleticism and hands. We want to continue to try and involve him down the stretch.”
McComb left far too many points on the board, however. The Tigers had three straight possessions inside Wingfield’s 10-yard line in the second quarter but couldn’t muster up any points.
Woodall threw an interception in the end zone on one drive, kicker Stephen Jeanson pushed a 19-yard field goal to the right and the Tigers’ then turned it over on downs at the 3-yard line.
