By Bobby Wilson / BHS Sports

The Yellowjackets of Bassfield continue their amazing season by defeating the Richton Rebels this past Friday night.

Once again this week the Jackets will play at home as Round 2 of the playoffs gets under way. The Union Yellowjackets will come to town having beaten Puckett in their first round game.

Union has a record of 8-4 this season finishing 2nd in their division. They have scored 355 points while giving up 286 so far this season.

Richton came into Bassfield with the mindset that they were ready to be giant slayers in their quest to continue on in the playoffs. With giants of their own in the backfield and on the line, the goliaths were definitely in the house.

As is the norm, the Jackets won the toss and deferred to the second half putting the Richton Rebels on offense first.

The Jackets defense, as always, were chomping at the bit to get in their first licks. On the third play of the game, TraDarren Cook picked off a tipped pass and returned to the Richton 33 yard line.

CJ Moore felt the size of the Richton line on the first play, as they broke through and sacked CJ for a three yard loss. A quick pitch to Greg Green and 36 yards later before you could blink, the Jackets were up 7-0 after Mancuso’s PAT.

Richton’s next series netted 10 yards total in six plays forcing the 2nd punt of the night.

A good defensive stop by Richton started out as a punt, but was the first fake punt of the year resulting in a touchdown run of 61 yards, but not to be, as the far side judge saw a block in the back 50 yards away from the play and negated the trickery for the second week in a row.

Back on offense because the spot file still resulted in a first down from the run, the running game got on track again, then a good 12 yard pass from CJ to Cameron Williams, then the speed of Curtis Mikell was way too much for Richton as he went 25 yards untouched for the Jackets second score of the quarter. Mancuso kick was good-Jackets up 14-0.

Richton put its power run offense in play and went on a 17 play grinding drive that was more than helped on a 4th and 11 pass interference call by the side judge (again). The Jackets defense stiffened and forced a second 4th down; this time 12 yards to go, but an attempted interception by the Jackets defender gave Richton a touchdown. A two-point try was no good Jackets led 14-6.

With the defense of the Jackets in much need of a rest, Richton pouch kicked the kickoff and recovered and put the Jackets defense right back on the field, with the momentum swiftly shifted. Though tired as they may have thought to be, they shut Richton down forcing a turnover on downs.

On the first play from scrimmage, CJ hits a wide-open Curtis Mikell for 64 yards and a quick score to put the Jackets up 21-6 after the Mancuso kick.

Thanks to the third costly call by the head linesman from Natchez, Richton’s next drive stayed alive longer than it should have-then a called complete pass that bounced kept the Jackets offense off the field a little longer.

With only 49 seconds to the half, CJ threw to the end zone but was not able to connect. A good run by Greg Green brought the ball all the way to the 35, but another incomplete pass, a sack and a 13-yard run that ended the half.

There is really no need to say what the Jackets offense did after taking the opening second half kick. Just like every other week, straight down the field, seven runs, Jacket football at its best, and Greg Green scores again from 27 yards out basically untouched. Mancuso kick and Jackets led 28-6.

Unable to move the ball without the help of the head linesman from Natchez, as he threw his third pass interference call along with a block in the back 50 yards away from the ball carrier, four calls 60 yards in penalties, 20 yards more than Richton had in offense to this point.