Carter McCown Returns to Field to Lead Jacksonville Past Nacogdoches, 35-29

NACOGDOCHES — Carter McCown made his return to the Jacksonville Indians lineup count.

After missing the past several games with an injured collar bone, the sophomore quarterback was 19 of 35 through the air for 286 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Indians to a 35-29 victory over the Nacogdoches Dragons in their District 16-4A opener Friday night at Dragon Stadium.

After Jacksonville tied the game at 22 late in the third quarter, McCown led the Indians down the field and into the red zone. After a penalty called back what would have been an 11-yard touchdown run by McCown, he threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Cory Holman on the next play to give Jacksonville a 29-22 lead.

Jacksonville then forced a quick Nacogdoches punt, and a 36-yard pass from McCown to Holman set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Stacy Cummings to make it 35-22.

Holman had three catches for 68 yards. D.D. Franklin, who has been playing quarterback for Jacksonville in McCown's absence, caught seven passes for 116 yards and a 30-yard touchdown that put the Indians ahead 15-7 in the first quarter.

McCown added a 50-yard strike to Londedric Taylor in the second quarter to give Jacksonville a 22-7 lead at halftime.

Nacogdoches scored twice in the third quarter — a 3-yard run by Patrick Ledet and a 40-yard pass from Ledet to L.J. Barnes. The latter was followed by a two-point conversion pass from Ledet to Wes Smith to tie the game at 22 entering the fourth quarter.

Ledet was 14-of-25 for 206 yards and three touchdowns — all to Barnes. Barnes caught five passes for 121 yards. Tae Thomas added nine receptions.

Jacksonville had two running backs rush for more than 70 yards — Sha'Kil Mosley and Cummings — but finished the game with two fewer yards on the ground than Nacogdoches, which was led by Derrick Fields' 57 yards — all in the second half — on 17 carries.

There were 26 penalties in the contest — six personal fouls — for a total of 217 yards.

Nacogdoches (0-6, 0-1) will host Corsicana next week, while Jacksonville (3-3, 1-0) will host Whitehouse.