4A Playoffs: D.K. Jenkins lifts Mendenhall past McComb in 21-20 thriller
MENDENHALL — Mendenhall quarterback D.K. Jenkins knew he just had to make a play.
On the final play of the game, Jenkins found Nicholas Williams on a 12-yard touchdown pass to lift Mendenhall over McComb 21-20 in the second round of the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs on Friday night in the all-Tiger matchup.
Mendenhall (9-3) will travel to Poplarville next week in the third round of the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs. Poplarville beat Mendenhall in the 4A South State Championship game last year.
“We knew we had 43 seconds left and one timeout," Mendenhall coach Chucky Allen said. "They kept playing prevent defense, so we got a seam route and a couple curl routes to get yards, and once we got in the red zone, it was the post corner route and it was there. Receiver ran a great route and just proud of my guys to keep on fighting, not quitting and living to fight another day.”
With Mendenhall leading 15-14 and 1:26 left, McComb drove 78 yards in seven plays that was capped off by a 21-yard touchdown pass from Jamarcus Pittman to Jeremiah Ratliff with 43 seconds left to give McComb the 20-15 lead.
After the ensuing kickoff, Mendenhall took over at their own 22-yard line and quickly hit two big pass plays to advance to the McComb 38-yard line. Jenkins had a 16-yard completion, and followed with a 10-yard run to get Mendenhall to the McComb 12-yard line with six seconds left.
On the next play, Jenkins found Williams in the far corner of the end zone as time expired.
“D.K. doesn’t get rattled much, and the offensive line did a great job blocking and he didn’t get rushed much and was able to make the throws,” Allen said. “He was able to make the plays and now we get to go down to Poplarville and to be the champs in 4A South it goes through them.”
Jenkins finished the game 15-of-19 for 209 yards with two touchdowns.
“They were playing prevent defense," Jenkins said. "So we were just taking what they were giving us with curl routes and the last play is a play we work on all the time and the receiver ran a great route, I just had to get the ball to him. Now we’re out for revenge with Poplarville. It’s going to be a physical game.”
Pittman finished 23-of-33 for 319 yards with three touchdowns to lead McComb (5-6).
“This is what high school football is all about. Both teams played well, and we played one of our better games all season,” said McComb coach Willie Brown. “We just came up short in the end. We had to maintain the cornerback get hurt a guy in at corner that’s was out of position and that hurt us.”
