GOODMAN — It didn’t take as long this time for the Commodores to wake up and take momentum.

All it took was a 77-yard run to the red zone, and the rest was just a matter of surviving and advancing.

The Lafayette High School Commodores withstood a late rally to defeat the No. 2 seeded Holmes County Central Jaguars 34-18 at Holmes Commuity College on Friday. The win lifts the Commodores’ record to 9-3 on the season and sets up the rematch with No. 1 seeded West Point. 

“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle, playing a good, athletic football team,” Lafayette head coach Michael Fair said. “I can’t say enough about our effort. We have prepared all year for times like these.” 

After a promising first drive for the Commodores was derailed by penalties, the Jaguars traveled 84 yards in 3:27 and effortlessly found themselves on the scoreboard first with a 23-yard touchdown run by HCC’s Reko Walden as the first quarter expired.

Then the ‘Dores began to cruise.

Quarterback Randy Anderson proceeded to answer the bell with a big gain, followed by a 5-yard score on 4th and goal. After a defensive three-and-out and Tay Berry interception, the Commodores found themselves suddenly up 19-6 heading into the locker room.

Randy Anderson converted another 4th down with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Trikyus Woodall, and later scored his second touchdown on the ground during that time frame. 

The Jaguars used a pair of kickoff returns to get into Commodore territory to begin the second half and Justin Smith threw a pair of touchdown passes to make things interesting, but every time the Jaguars did, the Commodores answered with points and turnovers. 

Trikyus Woodall added a rushing touchdown in the second half and Jaggar Stovall had a touchdown as well to put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Commodores had three interceptions, each coming from Tay Berry, Brendan Toles, and Aaron Williams. All of those turnovers came in the second half. 

Next week’s second–round 5A playoff matchup will kick off at 7 p.m. at Hamblin Stadium on the campus of West Point High School.

“We’ve been knocking on the door and been so close. I think we are the team, if we play well. We are built for games like this Friday,” Fair said.

By Jared Redding