The Jacksonville Golden Eagles took a roller coaster ride with the visiting Hokes Bluff Eagles on Friday night. They went ahead, fell behind, went way ahead and then hung on to win 33-30.

The teams came into the game with identical 4-1 records and knew the importance of this regional match up.

Jacksonville marched down the field on the opening kickoff and seemed poised to score when Hokes Bluff put a tenacious hit on running back Jackson Pearson and caused a fumble. The battle had begun.

Jacksonville held Hokes Bluff and got the ball back on its 44-yard line. It took the Golden Eagles just over a minute to score as fullback Stephen Waters went around the right end and rumbled 26 yards into the end zone for a 6-0 Jacksonville lead. The extra point hit the crossbar and fell to the ground.

Hokes Bluff came right back to take a 7-6 lead, but the Golden Eagles, aided by quarterback Forrest Pearson's 33-yard run to the one, set up a one yard plunge by Coryell Elston. The two-point conversion failed.

Midway through the second quarter Hokes Bluff put together a nice scoring drive that took up just over five minutes of the clock. The drive culminated in a 19-yard pass from Ryan Robertson to Dakato Hallmark for the score. Hokes Bluff went up 15-12 when a muffed extra point try turned into a two-point conversion.

Jacksonville appeared to be on its way again right before the half. However, a 30-yard pass from Forrest Pearson to Cordero Little was stopped at the five-yard line as the buzzer sounded.

Hokes Bluff came out of the locker room and appeared to be driving once again until Jackson Pearson intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the threat.

Jacksonville went on a scoring rampage, putting three quick scores on the board in the third quarter to give them a 33-15 lead.

The Golden Eagles scored on two one-yard plunges by Cordero Little and a 27-yard run around the left end by Travis Dunn.

The Dunn touchdown was set up by yet another interception by Jackson Pearson who ran the ball back giving the Eagles good field position. A penalty moved the Golden Eagles back to the Hokes Bluff 46-yard line where Jacksonville started their drive.

Dunn led all rushers with 149 yards while Little was right behind with 148. The Eagles pounded out 493 yards during the game.

All three extra points were good by Brock Sanderson and it looked like the Golden Eagles were in control.

Hokes Bluff thought differently. On the last kickoff of the quarter Hokes Bluff returned the ball 95 yards to score and tacked on a two-point conversion to bring the score to 33-23.

Jacksonville went three and out and Hokes Bluff drove down the field again. Robertson hit Coleman Frederick on a 10-yard pass for the score. The extra point was good to decrease Jacksonville's lead to three, 33-30.

Jacksonville was able to once again get in the red zone and from the four yard line on fourth and goal the Golden Eagles went for the score. Pearson faked a hand off and hit Waters in the flat on the two-yard line but he was quickly brought down and Hokes Bluff took over.

Hokes Bluff mixed up running and pass plays to move the ball down the field. Robertson went back to pass looking for a receiver racing down the sideline and threw it deep, only to be intercepted by Forrest Pearson who jumped high in the air to preserve the Jacksonville win.

Jacksonville head coach Roland Houston had prepared his team for a battle.

"Defensively we had our moments but we knew what kind of team they were and when we jumped out on them the way we did in the third quarter we knew we still had a battle for the rest of the game," he said.

"The return they had on the kickoff got them back in the thick of things and offensively they came in and got some big plays. They backed us up and it was anybody's game from that point on, but our guys handled it well.

"Our defensive backs played good all night. Against St. Clair County they (Hokes Bluff) had three touchdown passes and it was all play action, they do a real good job of disguising their passes and they fake the ball and throw as well as anybody we've played against.

"I thought our defensive backs did a good job of not giving them the long pass. The passes they completed were underneath us but we didn't give them the long pass and that was the difference in the game.

"It doesn't get any more physical than Hokes Bluff. The thing I'm proud of now is we are a part of these physical games, that that shows you how far our program has come as far as strength and conditioning."

Senior Jackson Pearson, who ended the game with two key interceptions and one fumble recovery, said the team was ready to battle with Hokes Bluff.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game and we knew it was going to be a battle," he said. "We just battled with them and got lucky and came out on top. We had a bend-but-don't—break mentality. We gave up some plays but came back and made bigger ones."

Jacksonville will have to make some real big plays this week as the Eagles travel to Centre to take on undefeated Cherokee County High School.