www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=273166&pub=1&div=SportsMudCats win again,now 8-0
5/10/2008 6:52:01 AM
Daily Journal
BY CHRISTA TURNER
The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer
COLUMBUS, Ga. - For Mississippi MudCats coach Brian Brents, it was the perfect end to "a great week."
Tommy Jones threw for eight touchdowns, including six to Maurice Avery, as the MudCats remained unbeaten (8-0) with a 70-61 win against the Columbus Lions.
"It was a great night for us," said Brents, whose wife, Rachel, gave birth in Tupelo early Thursday to their first child, a son. "Columbus is a good football team and we came here and got a big win.
"This has been a focus for us all year, to be able to go on the road and win consistently."
The teams will have a quick rematch, as the Lions (5-3) visit Bancorp South Arena next Saturday. That gives Columbus coach Jason Gibson a week to come up with a better defensive scheme.
"We couldn't stop them," Gibson said. "They threw the ball all over the place. They've got a good offense."
The Lions worked hard to deny the ball to one of the league's best receivers, Darryl Carter. That opened the door for Avery, who had seven catches for 115 yards.
"Avery had a tremendous game," Brents said, scoring five of his TDs after halftime.
The MudCats led 35-26 at halftime.
The Lions scored first, but their next three offensive series produced an interception and a pair of missed field goals. Meanwhile, the visiting team was taking a 21-7 lead.
"That was terrible," Gibson said. "You can't have the ball four times and score just one time. Not in this league."
Jones, meanwhile, had one of his best games in a MudCats uniform. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 344 yards with one interception.
The Cats' Josh Smith added seven catches for 120 yards and a TD, while Rico McDonald rushed for two TDs.
Columbus quarterback Joey Conrad completed 22-of-44 passes for 274 yards and five touchdowns. He rushed for three more scores.
John L. Pitts of the Daily Journal contributed to this story.
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 5/10/2008, section D , page 3
