By Rob Winpigler

Special to the Item

SOSO – The West Jones Mustangs became just the third team in school history to complete a perfect regular season with a 35-7 thrashing of Pearl River Central here Friday.

The Mustangs, now 10-0 on the season and 7-0 in Division 3-5A, now turn their attention to the playoffs against an undetermined first round opponent. West will face the fourth place team from Division 4-5A, which turned out to be Long Beach Friday.

“We did what a good team is supposed to do and that’s put an average team away early,” said coach Scott Pierson. “Our first team offense and defense stepped up and played to the level we expect of them.”

West wasted little time in putting the game away. The defense set up first score recovering a fumble on PRC’s first snap. Five plays later, back-up running back Carlton Coleman slipped into the end zone from three yards out. Hunter Estess added the point after for a 7-0 lead with 10:38 still remaining in the first quarter. Three plays later, the defense scored its first TD of the season when Matthew Farrar intercepted a pass and rumbled 32 yards to the end zone.

Estess again was true with the PAT and WJ had built a 14-0 advantage with 9:08 still to go in the first quarter.

On the next snap, Dasmond McCullum had his second fumble recovery of theevening. Following an 8-yard pass to LaKendrick McKellar and a 7-yard pass to Trey Winpigler, Coleman scored his second TD of the night, this time on an 8-yard run. The point was again good for a 21-0 lead with 7:34 still left in the opening frame.

The Mustangs added its fourth TD of the night on its next possession when Ben Stevens connected with McKellar on a 70-yard pass-and-run. The conversion was good and, with 3:46 left in the first quarter, West led 28-0.

West final score of the evening came1-yard blast by Tim Lindsey. The score capped a 65-yard drive. With the extra point, the Mustangs led 35-0 at the intermission.

Pearl River scored its only points of the game with 5:35 left in the third quarter when Tyler Lee and Garrett Penton connected on a 12-yard scoring pass.

The Blue Devils fiished 0-11on the year, a school record for losses in a season. It was the first time since 1965, when the Blue Devils were 0-10, that PRC went winless in a season.