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By SCOTT MIMS | Special to the Reporter

 The Shelby County Wildcats improved to 3-1 in a bittersweet homecoming win 23-6 over the Jemison Panthers (1-3) on Sept. 9.

Head coach Zeb Ellison said he was proud of how the team played following the previous week’s loss to Holtville, and despite the intermittent rain that affected play in the third and fourth quarters.

“Overall the guys came out and rebounded from a week ago and really cleared some of those mistakes up that we did make,” he said. “It’s just fun to see when that kind of stuff does happen, to see young boys mature into men.”

The Wildcat defense got the team on the board with a safety with 3:02 in the first quarter. Just seconds later, Bradley Horton crossed the goal line to extend the lead to 9-0.

Jemison’s Orlando Mora recovered a Shelby County fumble with 57 seconds left in the first quarter, and the Panthers nearly connected for a touchdown, but an offensive pass interference call backed them up to the Shelby County 21-yard line.

Jemison could not convert, but Shelby County punted on the ensuing drive—however, this time the Wildcats recovered a fumble and retained possession.

Shelby County found the end zone again from 19 yards out, and the score was 16-0 at the half.

Late in the third quarter, Jemison’s Jaxon Padlo connected with Coden Cummings for a 37-yard touchdown to put the Panthers on the board. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, however.

The Wildcats responded with 11:51 in the fourth quarter with another touchdown via Horton, this time from 28 yards out.

Later in the fourth, the rain continued to take its toll as Jemison’s Tucker Bradford recovered a Wildcat fumble and made it to the Shelby County 9-yard line. The Panthers would not capitalize, resulting in a 23-6 Wildcat victory.

The Wildcats stacked up 287 yards rushing and 62 yards passing. Horton rushed for 261 yards, and Holliman passed for 32 yards.

The win, however, came with a sad moment when senior Carter Sheehan had to leave the game late in the second quarter due to an injury. The clock read 4:13 in the second quarter when Sheehan had to leave the game. Ellison could not comment on the injury but he shared a word about Sheehan after the game.

“He’s a lot better kid than he is an athlete, and he’s a very, very good athlete, but that kid’s character and everything about him, he’s just a great kid,” Ellison said.