By T. Scott Boatright
JONESBORO — The Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers found out the hard way Thursday night — Lincoln Preparatory School’s defense has become just plain offensive to their opponents so far this season.
Lincoln Prep’s defense scored three touchdowns while adding a safety as the Panthers roared past the Tigers 44-8 at Caldwell Peacock Stadium to move to 3-1 on the season while Jonesboro-Hodge fell to 0-4 on the season.
The win was the first win ever for the school now known as Lincoln Prep. The last win for a Grambling high school team came back in the days of the Grambling Lab Kittens.
“They call this a rivalry, but a rivalry only exists when both teams win every now and then,” said Lincoln Prep coach Glen Hall. So even after tonight, you can just barely call this a rivalry. That will come after we beat them another time or two over the next few years.
“We got a win that was overdue and it was a big win for us, and it gives us a chance to go into Haynesville next week rolling at 3-1.”
The Panthers’ first score came early on an interception return by Tre Spann for a score.
“Our defense did a great job tonight,” Hall said. “It was a night that I’ve been waiting for. It was a breakout night for the defense.”
Lincoln Prep pushed its lead to 14-8 when Wilson raced around end on a 81-yard reverse for a touchdown.
Jonesboro-Hodge scored its lone touchdown midway through the second quarter before the Panthers went back on top for good on the ensuing kickoff return by D’Tavion Wright.
Still leading 20-8, Lincoln Prep’s defense was back at it early in the third quarter as Glosson hit paydirt on a 26-yard scoop and score fumble return that put the Panthers up 28-8 after a successful two-point conversion.
“Our defense has finally learned to start playing with each other,” Hall said. “They’re trusting each other and making sure that they hold each other accountable. Once they start doing that, without one trying to do another player’s job, then tonight showed what that can do.
“It all starts working as a team with the player’s focused on their own positions and trusting in the coaches.”
The Panthers’ “D” did it again on another pick six returned 38 yards for the score by Wright to put the Tigers on top 34-8.
But Lincoln Prep still had a point, well, two points, to make as Shamar Wright sacked Tigers quarterback Dakota Knox in the end zone for a safety that pushed the Panthers’ advantage to 36-8 early in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers’ offense did account for their last score on a five-yard scoring scamper by Wright with Michael Lewis picking up a fumble and racing into the end zone for the two-point conversion and the final score of the contest with 2:55 remaining.
Next up for the Panthers, now 3-1 and 1-0 in District 1-1A, will be a game kicking off at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Haynesville.
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