photo by Hannah Reel

Natchez’s Brian Isaac carries the ball after making an interception during the game against Wingfield Saturday afternoon. Isaac also returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in Natchez’s 66-34 win over Wingfield.

Natchez offense runs wild in blowout win

By Jeff Edwards (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Sunday, November 1, 2009

NATCHEZ — With a big road game against Hattiesburg looming next week, there might have been some concerns that Natchez High would look past a winless Wingfield team, especially after Friday’s scheduled game was pushed back a day because of stormy weather.

But those worries were put to rest rather quickly, as the Bulldogs jumped on the Falcons early and often, scoring 59 points in the first half en route to a 66-34 victory.

How dominating was the win?

Natchez had scored 40 points before Wingfield’s offense even recorded a first down.

And Bulldogs quarterback Javon Washington threw for 246 yards and five touchdowns — in the first half.

The beating could have been even worse if Natchez hadn’t lost three fumbles inside the Wingfield 20-yard line.

“I was really pleased with the performance in the first half,” Natchez head coach Lance Reed said. “We got off to a good start, and caught (Wingfield) off guard. That’s what we wanted to do, attack them early and come out with a good start.”

Natchez did just that, as the Bulldogs struck for 27 points in the first quarter.

Washington hit Santorius Pollard for a 35-yard scoring pass less than three minutes into the game to open the scoring, and it was all Natchez from there.

Washington threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Raymond Williams less than three minutes later, and then Joel Davis had two touchdown runs, from seven and three yards away to give Natchez a 27-0 lead after one quarter.

Davis scored his third touchdown of the day, this one a 33-yarder, early in the second quarter before Washington took over from there.

The junior quarterback connected with Kevin Barber on a fly pattern down the near sideline for an 86-yard scoring pass, the longest of the season.

After a Wingfield touchdown made the score 40-6, Washington struck for two more touchdown passes just 27 seconds apart.

The first one was a 24-yard slip screen to Pollard that the big receiver took to the house with 1:16 remaining in the half.

Then, after Brian Isaac intercepted a Wingfield pass and returned it to the 25-yard line, Washington hooked up with Pollard on a fade pattern for a 20-yard score that made the score 52-6.

Even after Wingfield looked to save a little face with a Rodrick McKee touchdown pass to Deangelo Turner with six seconds left in the half, the Bulldogs rubbed it right back in as Isaac took the ensuing kickoff back 91 yards for a touchdown to give Natchez a 59-12 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs added one more touchdown in the third quarter on a Derrian Johnson 11-yard run before Reed emptied his bench in the fourth quarter.

Wingfield got three meaningless fourth quarter touchdowns against the Natchez backups to make the final score slightly more respectable.

The win was even sweeter for the Bulldogs as Natchez was celebrating Senior Day.

“This was a very special game for those guys,” Reed said. “For them to go out with a victory is really good.”

Natchez can now turn its attention to Hattiesburg.

A win puts Natchez in the playoffs, possibly as the No. 2 seed, which means they would host a first round playoff game.

However, a Natchez loss could potentially knock the Bulldogs out of the playoffs entirely, depending on the outcome of the Brandon-Oak Grove game Monday night.

“We’re focusing on Hattiesburg,” Reed said. “To us it’s the playoffs right now, so we’re really getting geared up for it.”