Nacogdoches Returns to Winning Ways With 47-20 Rout of Jacksonville

NACOGDOCHES -- Looking to get back on the winning track, Nacogdoches got all that and more in a dominating 47-20 win over Jacksonville on homecoming Friday.

Brandon Jones showed up in multiple areas of the stat sheet.

He kicked things off with an interception, followed that up with a one-yard rushing touchdown and was just getting warmed up.

By the end of the night, Jones had accumulated three touchdowns — the other two coming on a 55-yard rush and a 35-yard punt return — and steered a defensive backfield that limited the Indians to just two completions all game in a dominant performance.

Phillip Jones led the rushing side of a balanced Nacogdoches offense, accumulating 126 yards on 22 carries — a return to form for the junior running back.

Meanwhile, quarterback Noah Hildebrand continued his impressive play of late tossing nine completions for 231 yards and three touchdowns — all to speedster Alex Gregory.

Gregory had a big night in his own right, finishing with four receptions for 160 yards.

The Dragons piled on the Indians early, and were then able to withstand a late Indian surge to preserve a comfortable win.

Hildebrand opened the Dragon scoring with 6:17 left in the first quarter on a four yard sneak to put the Dragons up 6-0.

He followed that up with a 32-yard touchdown to Gregory and a subsequent two-point conversion to take a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.

Hildebrand hit Gregory for their second score of the night on a 33-yard touchdown with 11:27 left in the second quarter.

Brandon Jones brought the Dragons’ lead up to 27 on his one-yard rush with 2:38 left before the half, but a bad snap on the extra point was capitalized on by the Indians who recovered the ball and took it all the way back to put two points on the scoreboard.

By halftime, the Dragons held a 27-2 lead.

Jacksonville quarterback Cameron High steered an improved second-half offense for the Indians.

He finished the game with 29 carries for 121 yards and the two touchdowns.

The junior opened the half by scoring the team’s first touchdown on a two-yard sneak with 2:49 left in the third quarter to cut the Dragons’ lead to 27-8.

But the Dragons came right back, Hildebrand avoiding pressure just long enough to hit Gregory on a screen pass which he took 80-yards to the house for a 34-8 lead with 1:09 left in the third quarter.

High tacked on his team’s second touchdown near the start of the fourth quarter on a 16-yard scamper to cut the Dragons’ lead to 34-14 and account for the Indians’ offensive output.

Brandon Jones scored the next two touchdowns of the game on a 55-yard rush with 10:48 to play and then a 35-yard punt return for a touchdown with 3:40 left in the game.

Jacksonville stalled near the close and gave the ball back to the Dragons with a little over a minute remaining.

Instead of being able to just run down the clock, the Dragons fumbled the first offensive snap and Jacksonville’s Terrance Silmon returned it 60-yards for the last touchdown of the game — 47-20.

The Indians recovered the ensuing onside kickoff, but were unable to do anything with it — giving the Dragons the win.