A-J holds off tenacious Murphysboro squad Friday

The Anna-Jonesboro High School football team has run roughshod over the Murphys-boro squad in recent years.

But the Wildcats had their hands full in a 36-21 win over the host Red Devils last Friday.

“It’s not the Murphysboro team they’ve been in the past, to play with that intensity,” A-J head football coach Brett Detering said after a hard-fought win.

A-J built a 36-7 lead after three quarters and held off a surging Murphysboro squad, which scored a pair of touchdowns in the final stanza.

“We knew they had a lot of talent in their junior class,” Detering said. “They were undefeated as freshmen. You can file this game away and bring it back next year because it will be the same thing.”

Ironically, all of the Red Devils’ scoring was on long plays.

“They scored on plays of 40 yards or better,” Detering said. “We never let them drive the football.”

The Red Devils didn’t wait long to make some noise.

Quarterback Eben Brooks connected with Jeremy Marshall for a 48-yard TD to cap a five-play drive to open the game.

Matt Ashfield’s extra-point kick put Murphysboro ahead 7-0 with 9:37 remaining in the opening quarter.

After a a nifty kickoff return by Gabe Pecord, the Wildcat offense began to roll.

Pecord capped a three-play drive that was fueled by a 39-yard run by A-J quarterback J.R. Woodward. Pecord closed out the drive with a 3-yard TD run.

Travis Smith’s extra point kick knotted the game at 7-7 with 7:56 left in the first quarter.

Another good kickoff return by Pecord was negated when the Wildcats fumbled on the ensuing drive.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Woodward fired a 48-yard TD to Jordan Adams at the end of a six-play drive. Smith’s extra point kick put the Wildcats ahead for keeps 14-7 with 11:41 remaining in the second quarter.

The Red Devils missed an opportunity to tie the game on their next possession. The Wildcats fumbled to give Murphysboro the ball on A-J’s 12-yard line.

The Red Devils drove to the 1-yard line before Brooks fumbled in the end zone for a touchback to end the drive.

The Wildcats took advantage of the fumble. Woodward capped an 80-yard, 10-play drive with a 6-yard TD run.

An offsides penalty against the Red Devils on the conversion point kick set the stage for  Chamness to score on a short run. A-J led 22-7 with :41 left in the opening half.

The Red Devils were halted  at midfield on their final drive of the half.

The Wildcats opened the second half with a long kickoff return by Skylar Benefield.

A Red Devil late hit call on the kickoff return helped put A-J deeper in Murphysboro territory.

Three plays later, Chamness scored on a 5-yard run. Smith’s kick put the Wildcats ahead 29-7 with 10:38 remaining in the third period.

A-J kept its final drive alive with a fake punt near midfield.

Woodward then romped 50 yards for a score. Smith’s extra point kick put the Wildcats on top 36-7 with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter.

The drive was thwarted on a fumble the Red Devils recovered.

Detering had a chance to ice the game with one more score. “We didn’t do that,” he said.

The fumble seemed to spark the Murphysboro offense.

Running back Orlando Jarrett scored on a 39-yard run to culminate a six-play drive.

The run for the extra point failed and the Red Devils had pulled to 36-13 with 11:28 remaining in the game.

The final Murphysboro score was set up on the Wildcats’ first punt of the game.

On their first play from scrimmage, Red Devil quarterback Brooks connected with Jarrett for a  76-yard TD strike. Brooks ran in the conversion points and  the Red Devils closed out the scoring with 8:24 remaining in the game.

The Wildcats were thwarted on fourth down gambles on their final two possessions.

Despite the Red Devils hanging around, the Wildcats were impressive at the quarterback slot.

Woodward scored on two running plays and passed for another score.

The senior finished with 209 yards rushing in 21 carries and was 4-of-5 passing for 63 yards. Jordan Adams caught two of those passes for 45 yards.

“J.R. played very, very well,” Detering said. “He had some big runs for us that helped us out and he threw the ball well, having  one dropped pass.”

Fleetfooted A-J running back Gabe Pecord, who finished the game with 12 yards rushing in 3 carries, suffered a bruised leg in the first half and didn’t play in the second half. Detering said his status for this Friday’s game won’t be known until game time.

Chamness had 78 yards rushing in 13 carries for A-J. Brady Carter added 29 yards in 4 carries and Benefield added 17 yards in 3 carries.

Brooks was 15 of 33 passing for 198 yards and the Red Devil rushing attack had 120 yards.

The Wildcats had 75 yards of penalties and fumbled three times, losing each one.