Central Holmes football coach Mitch Womack went into the regular-season finale wanted to get his team ready for the playoffs.
The Trojans certainly played a playoff-like game against Indianola but came up short, falling 28-24 as the Colonels used a late goal line stand to preserve the win.
Central Holmes finishes the regular season with a 4-6 record and will host Amite on Friday, Nov. 4 in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Despite the loss, Womack said his team played hard.
“They made plays and we didn’t,” Womack said. “We had some kids get hurt and it made us change some things we were doing. They had a great plan and their kids played hard. Our kids played hard, they just made more plays than we did. They converted some some third and longs and the team that makes those plays generally wins the game.”
After each team opened the game with a punt, Central Holmes got on the board first with an eight-play, 94-yard drive. Buchanan capped off the drive with a 1-yard run. Dan Lindsay hit the PAT and Central Holmes led 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
The two teams then traded interceptions but Indianola took advantage of theirs. The Colonels went 64 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:02 left in the first half. The PAT was good as Indianola tied the game at 7-7.
Central Holmes responded with another good drive as they went 73 yards in 13 plays and Buchanan scored in the last minute on a 5-yard run. Lindsay hit the PAT and Central Holmes led 14-7 at the half.
Indianola got the ball to start the second half but Buchanan picked off a pass to end the drive. The Trojans then got a 39-yard field goal from Lindsey and extended the lead to 17-7.
The Colonels hit a long pass as they scored on a 67-yard bomb with 6:34 left in the third. The PAT was good and the Colonels trailed 17-14.
After a Central Holmes punt, Indianola went 44 yards in seven plays as they scored on a 5-yard run to take the lead at 21-17 with 1:37 left in the third.
But the Trojans struck back quickly as Buchanan scored on an 84-yard touchdown run. Lindsay hit the PAT and Central Holmes led 24-21.
Indianola then went 65 yards in 13 plays and scored on a 3-yard run. The PAT was good and Indianola led 28-24.
Central Holmes had a chance to take the win late as they got to the Indianola 3 but fell short on fourth down in the last minute.
“Our kids played hard on the last drive and had some big plays,” Womack said. “We just couldn’t get it in the end zone and came up a foot short. It doesn’t feel good to lose a game like this but I think it will help us in the playoffs. The beauty is our season starts in two weeks and we get to play again. Now we have to start preparing for Amite.”
On offense, Central Holmes had 424 yards rushing and just four yards passing. Buchanan had a season-high 323 yards on 29 carries with three TDs. Ward had 54 yards on eight carries while Mike Jones had 24 yards on six carries.
On defense, John Riley had 13 tackles while Eli Carr had seven tackles. John Ward and Mike Jones had six tackles apiece while Aiden Adcock had five tackle. Ashton Tate and Carson Burrell each had four tackles apiece while Josh Robinson had three tackles and an interception. Cayton Edwards, Gibson Parrish, Logan Engle and Hudson Haffey each had three tackles. Buchanan had two tackles and an interception.
