NP continues streak  with win over Manassas

By Ike House
North Panola went out of state to Memphis Friday and returned with a 54-6 win against Manassas.
The passing attack was on for the Cougars as assistant coach Mancini Arnold started calling them “Cougar Airline.”
In the first quarter the Cougars put up big points after the defense started the game with a three and out. The offense only took one play to end their drive.
Quarterback Kenneth Jefferson hooked up with Jonathan Harris on a 44-yard pass, where Harris was left alone and caught his first touchdown of the season. After a successful two point conversion the Cougars led 8-0.
After stopping the Tigers, the Cougars had their longest play of the season with a 99 yard touchdown pass with Jefferson hooking up with Jamarvis Echols. After the two-point conversion, the Cougars led 16-0.
But the Tigers seemed as if they would make a game out of things after coming down the field on a long drive and scoring on a 15 yard pass in the corner of the endzone. They did not get the two point conversion but they cut the deficit to 16-6.
The celebration did not last long for the Tigers because on the ensuing kickoff Sylvonta Oliver had a 75 yard return for a touchdown. The Cougars looked dominant as they kept adding on in the first quarter converting on another two-point conversion that pushed the lead to 24-6.
The defense continued their dominance with another three and out that gave the ball back to a hot offense. But a pass that led to a 27-yard gain resulted in a fumble on the end of the run.
Manassas recovered and still could not move the ball but attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-16. The Cougars saw it coming and put an end to it.
The Cougars took advantage of good field position with the drive starting on the 30. The Jefferson-Echols connection continued again on a 27-yard pass that put the ball on the three. That led to Echols’ third catch on the night and added to his touchdown total as Jefferson found him on a three yard pass. The Cougars did not get the two point conversion but they did push their lead to 32-6. That would be the last score before the end of the first quarter.
After Manassas got the ball they led a promising drive that did not end well after Jamal Leverson had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown but a block in the back negated the touchdown but Leverson kept the interception.
On the Cougars’ possession, they punted for the first time of the night but scored on the second play of the Tigers’ possession as Oliver found the end zone again when he returned an interception for 69 yards. After converting for two points, the Cougars led 40-6.
After the defense went out and stopped the Tigers on another long drive the Cougars got the ball and continued their success. Jefferson led another one-play drive as he found the other Echols twin, Jarvis, on a 41-yard touchdown pass. The Cougars did not get the two but they did stretch the lead to 46-6 which led to the half.
After the half the Cougars received the ball and put it in the end zone as Montreal Conner had am 83-yard return for a touchdown. The Cougars got the two point conversion that led to their final score of the night, pushing the score to 54-6.
Back ups for the Cougars got some time against the Tiger starters and made some good plays. Manassas got the ball on their final drive and drove the length of the field but Eric Bailey put an end to that with an interception on the goal line.
In all three phases of the game, the Cougars collected 516 yards, 289 on offense, 69 on defense and 158 yards on special teams.
Jefferson led the Cougars going 6-9 passing for 241 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for nine yards. David Burton also went 1-3 for four yards.
Leading the rushing attack was Burton with two carries for 30 yards and Gerado Brown with a carry for five yards.
Leading the receiving corps was Jamarvis Echols with three catches for 129 yards and two touchdown. Other receivers were Harris with a catch for 44 yards and a touchdown, Echols with a catch for 41 yards and a touchdown and Lavonta Towns had a catch for 27 yards.
This Friday the Cougars start division play against M.S. Palmer. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.
Leading the defense was Stan Gross with seven tackles, three tackles for a loss and a sack. Other tacklers were Montreal Connor with six tackles, Leverson with three tackles and an interception, Burton with three tackles, Quinterrious Walls had two tackles, Antwun Toliver had two tackles and two tackles for a loss, Brandon Wilbourn had two tackles and a tackle for a loss, Brown, Tyler Shorter and Spencer Higganbotham had two tackles each, Demarco Smith had a tackle and a forced fumble, Malcomn Lyons had a tackle and a tackle for a loss, Jaylon Gipson, Temarya Russell and Chris Clark all had a tackle each and Eric Bailey had an interception.