By Robert Wilson
Photos by Chris Todd
Junior quarterback Tate Collins, making his first start, and senior running back Duke Arnold scored two touchdowns each to power Madison Central to 28 second-half points and rally past Northwest Rankin 31-20 Friday night in a season opener between two Metro Jackson Class 6A teams in Madison. Collins, who replaced Jimmy “The Jet” Holiday (now a freshman at Tennessee), as the starter, scored on runs of 15 and 5 yards to cut into Northwest Rankin’s 7-3 halftime lead. Senior Jackson Mize’s 55-yard punt return set up Arnold’s first TD, a 3-yard run. Arnold also had a 1-yard TD to give Madison a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter. Arnold gained 103 yards on 22 carries. Senior Matthew Huerkamp kicked three extra points and a 23-yard field goal and senior Carson Smith kicked one extra point. Northwest senior quarterback Caleb Parten completed 17 of 28 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He hit senior Jordan Cavitt for a 30-yard TD in the first half and junior Caleb McCoy for a 65-yard TD in the fourth quarter and senior Tuck Rowland on a 38-yard TD on the game’s final play. Cavitt caught 10 passes for 102 yards. Northwest junior running back Cam Marion had 101 yards on 18 carries. Sophomore Christian Baglione kicked two extra points. Senior free safety Creek Robertson and senior linebacker Dalton Stevens had 14 tackles and one interception each to lead Madison Central’s defense. Senior linebacker Joseph Perryman had 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. Senior defensive backs Lorenzo Jones and Javian Gathright had nine and eight tackles respectively to lead Northwest. Jones had two tackles for loss, including one sack.
