Scoop27
11-12-2016, 11:34 AM
HOUSTON — North Forest owes a lot of thanks to Rashand Jones. The senior quarterback accounted for 343 yards of offense — 193 passing and 150 rushing — and five touchdowns in leading the Bulldogs past Columbia, 41-28, Friday night at Barnett Stadium in the Class 4A Division I bidistrict playoffs.
“We just had a hard time containing him,” Columbia coach Brent Mascheck said of Jones. “All week we were so concerned with him, and they did a very good job and we couldn’t contain them. (Jones) really had some big plays. And that’s what was the difference in the game: We couldn’t get a key stop.”
The Roughnecks (5-6) could not match North Forest’s firepower and also hurt their own cause with three turnovers. Columbia pulled within six points with 8:15 remaining, but could not slow down the Bulldogs’ attack.
’Necks quarterback Jarrett Brown found the edge on a read option for a 22-yard score to cut the deficit to 34-28, but the Columbia defense could not get the stop it needed. Jones led North Forest on a 72-yard march down the field, which he capped with a 32-yard scoring pass to Damond Wiggins to seal the game.
“It seemed like we would get the momentum, and they would just make a big play,” Mascheck said.
Columbia racked up 370 yards of offense but threw three interceptions. The Bulldogs outgained the ‘Necks by 98 yards and had only one giveaway — a lost fumble in the waning minutes of the game.
Mascheck knew entering the contest that Columbia needed to limit big plays in order to win. The Bulldogs had seven plays of at least 20 yards, including passes of 51 and 28 to receiver Demond Demas, the latter a touchdown in the first half. Demas finished with eight catches for 120 yards.
“The keys to the game were not to give up big plays and don’t have turnovers and penalties,” Mascheck said. “In this win streak we’ve been having, that’s what we’ve been doing. We hadn’t been doing those, but it came back tonight. Hats off to North Forest. I thought they played a good game.”
Keithan Taylor led the ‘Necks with 108 rushing yards, and Brown added 106. Each had a first-half touchdown.
North Forest (8-3) won its eighth straight game and advances to face the winner of Silsbee and Carthage in the area round.
Despite the loss, Mascheck said he is proud of his team’s performance in his first season at Columbia.
“I’m proud of our kids, and I’m proud of the seniors for how much they bought into the program. We’re really going to miss those guys next year,” he said.
“We were not picked to make the playoffs. For us to make the playoffs, it’s a great accomplishment for these young men. We’re very disappointed and sad of the way the season ended, no doubt, but like I told them, we’ve got a lot to build on.”
“We just had a hard time containing him,” Columbia coach Brent Mascheck said of Jones. “All week we were so concerned with him, and they did a very good job and we couldn’t contain them. (Jones) really had some big plays. And that’s what was the difference in the game: We couldn’t get a key stop.”
The Roughnecks (5-6) could not match North Forest’s firepower and also hurt their own cause with three turnovers. Columbia pulled within six points with 8:15 remaining, but could not slow down the Bulldogs’ attack.
’Necks quarterback Jarrett Brown found the edge on a read option for a 22-yard score to cut the deficit to 34-28, but the Columbia defense could not get the stop it needed. Jones led North Forest on a 72-yard march down the field, which he capped with a 32-yard scoring pass to Damond Wiggins to seal the game.
“It seemed like we would get the momentum, and they would just make a big play,” Mascheck said.
Columbia racked up 370 yards of offense but threw three interceptions. The Bulldogs outgained the ‘Necks by 98 yards and had only one giveaway — a lost fumble in the waning minutes of the game.
Mascheck knew entering the contest that Columbia needed to limit big plays in order to win. The Bulldogs had seven plays of at least 20 yards, including passes of 51 and 28 to receiver Demond Demas, the latter a touchdown in the first half. Demas finished with eight catches for 120 yards.
“The keys to the game were not to give up big plays and don’t have turnovers and penalties,” Mascheck said. “In this win streak we’ve been having, that’s what we’ve been doing. We hadn’t been doing those, but it came back tonight. Hats off to North Forest. I thought they played a good game.”
Keithan Taylor led the ‘Necks with 108 rushing yards, and Brown added 106. Each had a first-half touchdown.
North Forest (8-3) won its eighth straight game and advances to face the winner of Silsbee and Carthage in the area round.
Despite the loss, Mascheck said he is proud of his team’s performance in his first season at Columbia.
“I’m proud of our kids, and I’m proud of the seniors for how much they bought into the program. We’re really going to miss those guys next year,” he said.
“We were not picked to make the playoffs. For us to make the playoffs, it’s a great accomplishment for these young men. We’re very disappointed and sad of the way the season ended, no doubt, but like I told them, we’ve got a lot to build on.”