Rangers Rally for 21-14 MACJC Semifinal Win at East Central

Freshman running back Quarderman Sloan accounted for a career-high 200 all-purpose yards in the Rangers’ playoff win. Photo by JUCOWEEKLY.org.

Northwest needed all four quarters Saturday afternoon at Bailey Stadium in an MACJC Semifinal matchup against East Central, rallying from a two touchdown deficit at halftime with 21 unanswered points to knock off the Warriors 21-14 and advance to its second straight MACJC Championship game. 

Northwest improved to 9-1 overall with a ninth straight victory over the south division champion Warriors, who ended their season at 5-5.

The win sets up a rematch at East Mississippi (9-1) on Saturday, Nov. 12 for the conference championship. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Scooba. 

East Central had early success in the running game, riding the legs of sophomore quarterback Dom Marino who rushed for 108 yards in the opening half. 

After a Northwest fumble in the red zone, the Warriors took a 7-0 lead with 3:42 left in the opening quarter on a Marino 7-yard quarterback keeper. 

ECCC used a short field to take a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter, driving 42 yards on four plays, capped by Marino’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gibson. 

Northwest was unable to get much going offensively and couldn’t stay on the field after going 0-for-5 on third down and 0-for-3 on fourth down.

A fake field goal attempt on the Rangers’ final drive of the quarter from the ECCC 34-yard line was unsuccessful and Northwest trailed 14-0 at half.

It was a tale of two halves, with Northwest’s offense gaining momentum and the defense constantly applying pressure on Marino the final 30 minutes.  

Northwest punched it in the end zone on consecutive drives to start the second half to pull within 14-12. Clay Holgorsen hit Marquisian Chapman for an 11-yard touchdown to cap a 14-play, 74-yard drive and Tywun Walters finding paydirt from four yards out.

A missed PAT and failed two-point attempt kept it a one possession game, 14-12, after three-quarters. 

After consecutive touchdown drives in the third, Northwest found back-to-back drives that resulted in Drake McCarter field goals to start the fourth quarter. McCarter made good on his attempts from 35 and 28 yards to give the Rangers their first lead of the game with 14:28 to play.

ECCC had no answer for the Ranger defense, with Northwest holding the Warriors to six consecutive three-and-outs in the second half. 

Leading 21-14 with a little over four minutes remaining, Wesley Bush’s acrobatic interception on a double quarterback pass, his team-leading fourth of the year, put the game on ice for Northwest. 

The Rangers ran out the final 3:58 on the clock, taking it down to the ECCC 3-yard line before going into the victory formation.

Outgained by 40 yards in the opening half, Northwest stymied ECCC in the second. The Rangers outgained the Warriors 296-8 the final 30 minutes and didn’t allow a first down. 

Northwest finished with 12 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and a pair of sacks from Hal Northern. The freshman had six tackles, tied with Tomarcio Reese, with 4.5 of those for loss. Nick Nichols had a game-high 12 for the Warriors. 

Offensively, Quarderman Sloan accounted for 200 all-purpose yards, rushing for 138 and hauling in eight passes for 62 yards. Walters had 88 yards on the ground and his 10th touchdown of the year. Holgorsen was 24-of-33 for 221 yards and a touchdown pass to Chapman. KyKy Austin had four grabs for 79 yards.

Saturday’s MACJC Championship game can be watched live at nwccrangers.com/watch. Live stats will also be available.

Courtesy of Kevin Maloney and Northwest Rangers

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