The winning score came on a 14-yard pass from quarterback John Arnold to Jimmy Brock.
Ragland edged JCA 16-13 and improved to 6-1 on the season. JCA fell to 4-3.
The two teams traded punts to start the game and then JCA got the break they were looking for as Camron Bryant intercepted an Arnold pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown with 5:09 left in the first quarter. Dylan Mcguffie added the PAT to make it 7-0.
JCA’s offense was unable to move the ball against a stingy Ragland defense. The Thunder had 15 total yards in the first half.
Ragland finally put together a drive as they drove 59 yards in 9 plays to score. The key plays in the drive were an 18-yard reception by Brock and a 14-yard run by John Mark Mintz. The touchdowns came on a 12-yard pass from Arnold to Colton Echols. Sondre Torp added the PAT and the game was tied 7-7 with 4:47 left before halftime.
That score stayed until late in the third quarter when Torp kicked a 24-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining in the third quarter to put Ragland up for the first time in the game 10-7
Just when Ragland fans were getting comfortable with a lead, the lead didn’t last long as on the first play of the fourth quarter, JCA quarterback Matthew Crook found Caleb Prickett streaking down the right sideline behind the Purple Devil defense and the two combined for a 65-yard touchdown to put JCA back on top 13-10 with 11:46 left in the game.
Ragland was unable to move the ball and had to punt. JCA also had to punt and Ragland started at its own 47. Three plays later, Arnold threw another interception as Prickett picked it off with 7:10 remaining in the game.
Then came the play of the game as Cole Bearden recovered a JCA fumble with 5:38 left in the game.
Ragland marched 76 yards in 14 plays with the touchdown coming on the 14-yard reception by Brock. John Brewster and Nick Daniels provided the one-two punch running the ball as they gained 10 yards, 14, yards 6, yards and kept grinding the ball into scoring position.
After being held to 15 total yards in the first half, JCA had 65 yards in the second half, with all of the yards coming on the one pass play.
Ragland finished with 148 yards rushing and 85 yards passing for a total of 233 yards.
Ragland will be on the road Friday at Coosa Christian.
Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com.
