Forest won Region 5-3A last year, but there is a new kid on the block. Winona went on the road for its first region game as a 3A school and improved to 4-0 with a dominating win over the Bearcats 41-21.
“That was nice,” said coach Joey Tompkins. “1-0 is better than 0-1.”
The Tigers have scored at least 33 points in every game.
Despite the 20-point margin of victory, Tompkins was not totally pleased. “Defensively, I thought it was one of our worst games. They (Forest) didn't do anything different from what we have seen. They just executed better than we did defensively.”
There was nothing wrong with the offense. Led by the dynamic duo of An'darius Coffey and Jay Lofton, the Tigers averaged nearly nine yards per play in rolling up 437 yards. Coffey completed 7 of 11 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown and ran 13 times for 77 yards and two TDs.
It was his best game throwing the ball “by a long shot,” Tompkins said. “He should have been 9 for 11. We dropped two balls.” One of those drops was in the end zone.
Lofton had 240 all-purpose yards on only 14 touches. He had three receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown, two kickoff returns for 82 yards and carried nine times for 62 yards and two TDs. He reached the end zone on one of his kickoff returns, but it was nullified by a block in the back.
The Tigers scored three first quarter touchdowns, but only led 21-14. Coffey scored twice in the period on runs of 2 and 14 yards and Blake Cooper had a 14-yard TD run.
Winona made it 27-14 at the half on a 19-yard run by Lofton, then broke the game open with two more Lofton TDs in the third period. He had a four yard scoring run and caught a 54-yard pass from Coffey to make it 41-14 entering the final period.
Cade Eldrigdge was 5 for 6 on extra points.
Jalen Campbell again led the defense with five solo tackles and four assists. He also ran for 67 yards on only two carries.
Quinten McCorkley had seven tackles, including a sack. Davandre Bays and Tay'Shaun Pointer each had a fumble recovery.
For the season, Coffey is 25 of 51 passing for 444 yards and four TDs. He is also the leading rusher with 58 carries for 359 yards and six TDs. Lofton has carried 27 times for 263 yards and has nine receptions for 177 yards. Chris Olton is the leading receiver with 10 for 183 yards and Campbell leads in tackles with 33.
The Tigers will be on the road again Friday for a region game at Morton. “They have some good athletes,” Tompkins said. In particular, he mentioned senior running back Von Jennings.
After beginning the season with three losses, the Panthers picked up their first win last week, 28-3 over Raymond.
