Jacksonville helmet

HALLSVILLE — A 14-point second quarter proved to be the difference on Friday at Bobcat Stadium as the Jacksonville Indians held on for a 28-15 win over Hallsville in District 9-5A Division I action.

The loss spoiled Hallsville’s homecoming celebration and dropped the Bobcats to 2-6 overall and 0-5 in district play. Jacksonville moves to 2-6 and 1-4 with the win.

The visiting Indians opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Patrick Clater tossed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tyress Gipson and Alejandro Pina-Sanchez added the extra point at the 6:59 mark.

The Bobcats answered quickly when Carter Rogas went in from 4-yards out. Rojas had a 54-yard run on the drive, which took five plays and covered 61 yards. The PAT failed after a bobbled snap, and the Bobcats trailed 7-6 after one quarter.

A pair of Clater TD passes in the second quarter gave the Indians a 21-6 halftime lead.

With 10:11 left in the second, Clater hit Chris Carpenter on a 3-yard TD strike to end a short drive that was set up by a bad snap on a Bobcat punt.

Then, with 1:37 left in the half, Clater hit Carpenter on a 30-yard scoring striketo end a five-play, 59-yard march.

The Bobcats got a safety early in the third quarter when Blake Ware stopped an Indian runner in the end zone. Rojas had pinned the Indians deep with a 54-yard quick kick pun earlier.

With time running out in the third, Rojas scored on a 14-yard run to end a seven-play, 55-yard Hallsville drove that pulled the home team to within six points (21-15) heading to the final stanza.

A 29-yard run up the middle by Clater with 2:13 left in the contest moved the Indians on top 28-15, and a minute later Gipson intercepted Rojas in at the Jacksonville 20-yard line to seal the victory.

Hallsville will visit Nacogdoches and Jacksonville hosts Mount Pleasant next week.