WESSON — The North Pike Jaguars scored their first points of the season against Wesson on Friday but fell apart late in the game and lost, 26-7.
“We just got tired,” Noprth Pike coach Chris Smith said.
The team’s 10 penalties played a role in the late unraveling of the Jags, costing them 75 yards.
“That’s just concentration,” Smith said.
The Jaguars also lost two drives early in the game to turnovers.
North Pike quarterback Austin Smith ran the option, pitching the ball with two Cobras pulling him down. The result was a fumble. Wesson recovered the miscue.
One of Smith’s first down passes slipped out of the hands of sophomore Colton Magee.
Smith finished the game 7-of-12 passing with one touchdown. He also had an interception.
Before the late spiral, North Pike appeared to stop the Cobras near midfield on the first drive. However, a fake punt allowed Wesson’s Koy McFarland to rack up 22 yards and a new set of downs.
The Cobras took advantage six plays later with a 4-yard touchdown run by junior Nick Lewis.
North Pike answered the 13-play, 69-yard scoring drive with a 12-play, 53-yard scoring drive of its own.
The drive was capped off by a 9-yard touchdown pass from Austin Smith to 6-foot-1 receiver Jalen Jackson.
That, however would be the last time the Jags got into the end zone.
The game went to halftime with the score tied 7-7, but the Cobras came out strong in the second half, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter.
A third quarter, 38-yard touchdown pass that would have given the Jags a chance to take the lead was erased by an illegal receiver downfield penalty.
The Jags did slightly better against the run this week early in the game.
“I saw improvement tonight,” Smith said.
The loss of North Pike senior linebacker Jeremiah Thompson late in the game was a big blow to the defense.
“We couldn’t stuff up the middle without him,” Smith said.
Smith said Thompson, a 5-foot-10, 225-pound linebacker went out with what appeared to be a knee injury.
The Cobras took advantage of Thompson’s absence and scored late in the game on an Otis Smith 2-yard touchdown run to seal the Jaguars’ fate.
North Pike senior tackle Jacob Fleming also was injured, but the injury was not believed to be serious, according to Smith.
North Pike is away from home again next week against Germantown, Tenn. That game starts at 7:30 p.m.
