From staff, wire reports

Jonathan Abram knocked a potential game-tying two-point pass away with 2:35 remaining to help lift Jones County to a 27-25 victory over top-ranked East Mississippi Thursday night at Bobcat Stadium in Ellisville in the junior college football opener for both teams.

Jones trailed 13-3 at halftime before scoring for 21 unanswered points on three consecutive possessions in the third quarter to take a 24-13 lead. The Lions, who outscored the Bobcats in the final quarter, 12-3, received the ball one last time with 50 seconds left but got no farther than the Bobcat 45 when time expired.

The Bobcats outrushed EMCC, 220-35, and outgained the Lions, 359-277.

Jones freshman running back Scott Phillips had 22 carries for 91 yards, while freshman quarterback Mason Blocker threw for 139 yards and rushed for 47 yards. For the Lions, quarterback Vijay Miller was 22 of 37 for 242 yards and three touchdowns.

East Mississippi (0-1), ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA preseason rankings, only dressed 32 players because of suspensions resulting from last year’s season-ending altercation against Mississippi Delta. The Lions had won 52 of its previous 55 games.

Northeast Mississippi 17, Pearl River: 14: At Booneville, Northeast won its football season opener for the first time since 2012 with a decision against Pearl River. Quarterback Mason Cunningham found L.J. Hawkins for a 17-yard touchdown strike in the third quarter, which turned out to be the decisive score. Brandon Tillman blocked a Pearl River field goal late in the game to give the Tigers the football back and secure the victory.

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