Big defensive plays key No. 11 Gulf Coast victory over JCJC

PERKINSTON – Big plays by the Mississippi Gulf Coast defense helped extinguish a Jones County comeback attempt Thursday at A.L. May Memorial Stadium.

Two interception returns for touchdowns in a six-minute span of the second half that keyed a 37-27 victory for the No. 11 Bulldogs.

"We talked last night about how over the years, different players have come through and made plays her at Gulf Coast," coach Chad Huff said. "We asked, 10 years from now, who are we going to be talking about? I can tell you right now two guys, Marcus Betts and Octavis Johnson, who made big plays in the second half that sealed the deal in that ballgame."

Gulf Coast (4-1, 3-0 MACJC South) has won three straight to take a half-game lead over Copiah-Lincoln in the division. The Bulldogs have won 10 of the last 12 against Jones (2-3, 2-1).

The victory also guarantees a spot in the NJCAA Poll this week, meaning Gulf Coast has spent a solid decade in the rankings. The Bulldogs have spent 133 consecutive weeks in the Top 20 starting on Sept. 27, 2005.

The Bulldogs sprinted out to a 17-0 lead by early in the second quarter on an A.J. Erdely-to-Ishmel Morrow touchdown pass, a 4-yard touchdown run by Ge'Vonte Jones and a 27-yard Joshua Rowland field goal.

The halftime lead was 20-7, but Jones converted a Gulf Coast turnover into a short touchdown drive. A three-and-out by the Bulldogs shifted more momentum to the Bobcats, but on Jones' second play former Gulf Coast quarterback Thad Miller missed his target.

"I was watching my keys, doing the things that Coach (Steven) Moore and Coach (Steve) Davis told me to watch," Betts said. "It led me right to the ball.

"Thad just overthrew the receiver. It came right to me."

His 50-yard return made it 27-14.

"They always spick up us if we're down," Gulf Coast right tackle Kevin Haas said. "Jones started to catch momentum and Betts had a pick-6 and it just shifted momentum."

After a 41-yard Rowland field goal made him 3-for-3 on the night and 12-for-13 on the season, Johnson got in the action. He picked off a Miller pass and ran it back 35 yards to cap another 17-point burst.

"We got pressure on the quarterback and he just got rid of the ball," defensive coordinator Steve Davis said. "He would catch it and throw it because the pressure was getting close. He just threw it to the wrong guy those two times. We were getting pressure and he knew it."

Jones got a couple of touchdowns in the final 2:08, but would get no closer.

Erdely completed 19-of-27 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown, with Morrow grabbing 10 receptions for 80 yards.

Gulf Coast ran for 242 yards, with Jones picking up 106 yards and Chris Robinson adding 87 more.

"We came through together and made something fantastic happen," said Jones.

Gulf Coast returns to action next Thursday against Southwest in Summit, but at least one Bulldog couldn't have told you that while enjoying being undefeated in South play.

"We are happy, but honestly I don't know who we play next week," Betts said. "I was so focused on playing Jones. Tomorrow or Sunday, we'll get back in it."