A year ago the Columbia Wildcats announced themselves as contenders to the rest of Class 3A by knocking off Jeff Davis County in the regular season only to lose to the Jaguars when it mattered most in the third round of the playoffs. The Wildcats (7-0, 2-0) avenged that loss, though, Friday night with a 36-22 road victory.
Columbia head coach Chip Bilderback said when the players boarded the bus to go to Bassfield they knew they were going to win the game and were willing to do whatever it took.
“That’s half the battle. Our kids expected to win that game,” he said. “That’s what you want. You want them to believe that when they step on the field they’re the superior team and willing to work the hardest and play the hardest.”
Kentrel Bullock put on a show against a tough Jeff Davis defense with 277 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 26 carries, using a combination of his 4.38 speed, power and elusiveness to carve up the Jaguars.
“Kentrel is one that always continues to work to get better. I think it was more or less he was going to do what we needed him to do for us to win and be successful,” Bilderback said. “That’s any of our guys. Our kids were so excited and locked in to playing that they would’ve done anything they were asked to do for us to win the game. Whether that’s running the ball or blocking, everybody was bought in.”
The Wildcats racked up 421 yards on the ground, with Omarie Johnson coming just short of the century mark.
“Our kids came out fired up and played extremely well. Our offensive line did a great job,” Bilderback said. “Kentrel and Omar did a great job running the ball. What they did was got first downs and continued to get first downs to keep their offense off the field.”
Kentrel Bullock opened the scoring with a 58-yard touchdown where he followed a pulling Christian Rowell and H-back Darreious Bullock on the Wildcats’ second drive of the first quarter. Johnson got Columbia into the red zone on their next possession with a 37-yard run before Kentrel Bullock capped off the drive with a 6-yard touchdown to put Columbia up 14-0 with 10:19 to play in the second quarter.
The Wildcats defense then forced a three-and-out but Jeff Davis got the ball back on its punt. Jamison Kelly attempted to field it on a bounce, but it took an awkward hop and grazed his hand. He attempted to pick it up but was hit as he did so, and the Jaguars pounced on it to set up a 1-yard touchdown run that made it 14-7 midway through the second quarter.
Kentrel Bullock found the end zone for a third time on a 17-yard scamper and ran in the conversion on the ensuing possession to put the Wildcats up 22-7. Then following another Jaguars three-and-out, Kentrel Bullock picked up another solid lead block from Darreious Bullock and raced 69 yards untouched to pay dirt. Antoine Franklin drilled the second of his three extra points of the game, giving Columbia a 29-7 edge.
A long run and a personal foul gave Jeff Davis a chance to score right before the end of the first half, but Teshonne Franklin intercepted a deep ball near the end zone to end the threat.
“Defensively I thought we did really good even though we gave up one or two plays for scores,” Bilderback said. “For the most part, though, we did a great job of running to the ball and being physical at the point of attack.”
Columbia was forced to punt to open the second half, and the Jaguars ate into the lead with a 45-yard touchdown run that made it 29-14 with 5:57 left in the third quarter. But touchdown No. 5 for Kentrel Bullock put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter as the Ole Miss commit took a pitch on a speed option, stiff armed a defender and captured the corner for a 46-yard score. Jeff Davis added a touchdown with two minutes remaining, but it was too little too late.
The Wildcats have perhaps their biggest game of the season Thursday night as they play host to West Marion (8-0, 2-0) that will decide the Marion County Football Championship and possibly even the district title.
Pictured Above: Columbia quarterback Javen Moses hands the ball off Friday night against Jeff Davis. | Photo by Makayla Puckett
