Already blindsided by a rash of injuries that had knocked out a host of players including its quarterback, an offensive lineman, its nose tackle, and three linebackers, the Jones County High football team was stunned once again by a rather unexpected turn of events.

In a match-up of two teams looking for their first sub-region 4B-AAAA victory, Jones County (2-6 overall, 0-5 in 4B-AAAA) fell to Dutchtown High (2-6 overall, 1-4 in 4B-AAAA) 22-21 Friday night on a faked extra-point attempt at the end of the game’s first and only overtime period.

With the score tied 14-14 at the end of regulation, the Greyhounds got the ball first in the extra period and scored quickly from 15 yards out courtesy of a pair of David Blanton runs.

Dutchtown produced a rushing touchdown of its own on the ensuing possession, and after lining up for the game-tying extra point, quarterback Trey Nelson took the snap and, instead of holding for place kicker Ryan Kay, passed to Joe Stewart for the game-winning two-point conversion.

Jones head coach Bill Young said nearly every circumstance leading up to the trick play pointed to the Bulldogs kicking the PAT and forcing a second overtime.

“You look at things like that when their kicker is not consistent or he’s having a bad night. But they have a real good kicker,” Young said. “They also tried to fake a field goal earlier in the game, and I thought we covered it well.

“I really didn’t expect it. I expected something like that to come up maybe in the second overtime. But we still had the situation covered. We were just a step slow getting there.”

The ’Hounds had a chance to win the game in regulation but one of three Jones fumbles spoiled that shot.

After tying the score with 2:33 to go in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard pass from Dusty Lanford to Blanton, the Greyhound defense was able to get the ball back in the hands of the offense one more time before the end of the period.

With the drive beginning at the Jones 18-yard line, a 10-yard run by Lanford and runs of 14 and 4 yards by Blanton set up a long ball on a trick play to receiver Terrance Gore.

Gore came down with the ball at the Bulldogs’ 15-yard line, but fumbled it away to the defense.

“We took a shot before regulation ended to get an opportunity to kick a field goal, and we had a good catch, but we fumbled,” Young said.

The visitors also had several missed opportunities earlier in the contest.

A Blanton fumble ended the Greyhound offense’s second series of the game at the home team’s 14-yard line.

Lanford was sacked for a 10-yard loss and lost a fumble on the ’Hounds’ fourth series of the game, which had penetrated as far as the 22-yard line in Bulldog territory.

A series of three consecutive incomplete passes, on second, third, and fourth downs, ended the team’s ninth drive of the contest at the Dutchtown 12.

Luckily for the ’Hounds, an Andre Pope interception on the ensuing possession for the Bulldogs set up Blanton’s game-tying reception.

The pick was one of seven turnovers – four interceptions and three fumbles – forced by the Greyhounds in the contest, though only Pope’s second INT of the contest and a Devon Pace fumble recovery led to Jones scores.

Three plays after Pace’s recovery, Lanford scored from 1 yard out to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:33 to play in the second quarter.

Lanford finished with his best passing performance, going 10-for-15 for 118 yards with the one touchdown and no interceptions.

Blanton led the team with 15 rushes for 81 yards, and Lanford had 15 rushes for 63 yards, not counting sacks for losses of 7 and 10 yards that factored into his rushing total.

Gore had 102 all-purpose yards, rushing four times for 33 yards and catching three passes for 69 yards.

Defensively, Pope had eight tackles and one assist to go with his two interceptions, and Kelvin Stone had seven tackles and one interception.

Ian Tuft and Clyde Haynes each had six tackles, with Haynes also forcing a fumble, and Chase Lundy had an interception, while Trace Scott and Kyle Simmons each recovered fumbles.

On special teams, Stone’s kickoffs pinned the Bulldogs at an average starting field position of their own 12-yard line.

Kevin Jackson punted five times for a 29.4-yard average, though one of those was returned 70 yards for a touchdown.

Injuries to the ’Hounds’ defensive corps forced the unit to adjust from its regular five-man front to a six-man line.

The injuries also forced young players into action, as Young said, at one point, there were sophomores in the contest at defensive end, inside linebacker, and outside linebacker.

“We’re playing musical chairs,” the coach said. “Injuries are part of the game, but I can’t ever remember being hit this hard.”

Though the stats seemed favorable to the ’Hounds, who generated 299 yards of total offense, created more turnovers, and had impressive yardage averages on first down (5.7), running plays (4.1), and receptions (11.8), the Bulldogs seemed to turn the emotional occasion of homecoming into a win that was fueled by that same emotion.

“Anytime you get down to this time of year and things aren’t going the way you planned for them to go, the mental aspect of the game becomes important,” Young said. “It was their homecoming, and they knew that we were a team, like them, that has been in a rut against the same competition.”