NETTLETON - With three Tiger touchdown marches on their first three possessions against South Pontotoc Thursday night, Nettleton coach Jack Clark beat his former team for the second time in two tries, 34-14 in a Division 2-3A game.

Patrick Jones scored on a 74 yard run on the Tigers (6-2, 1-1 Division 2-3A) first play from scrimmage. Elmonte McClendon added an 8 yard run and Anthony Franklin scored on a 14 yard run to close a 20-0 first quarter.

"That's probably the best we've came out, as far as execution all year," said Clark. "On a short week, I was really surprised. We sort of kept it simple and the kids executed."

With Nettleton still missing starting skill players Odarius Lowe, Corbin White and Zack Ross, McClendon led the way on the ground with 16 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Franklin rushed 15 times for 68 yards. Jones had three rushes for 90 yards.

South Pontotoc (3-5, 0-2) pulled within 13 on Monte Love's 5 yard run with 8 minutes, 2 seconds left in the third quarter.

Nettleton quickly answered though. Franklin hit Colby Chaney for 19 yards to the Cougar 3 and Franklin ran the final three yards for a 27-7 lead.

"A win's a win," Clark said. "I could smile after the first quarter. Usually we make things real difficult in the first quarter. We came out and executed and that pleased me."

In the fourth, Nettleton padded its lead. On third-and-1 at the South Pontotoc 17 yard line, McClendon bullied his way 12 yards and Brandon Neal took the ball four yards for Nettleton's fifth touchdown and a 34-7 lead.

Joe Sullivan was 4 of 5 on point after attempts.

Nettleton stopped two South Pontotoc scoring attempts in the first half. On fourth-and-goal from the 5 yard line, Wesley Barefield's pass was incomplete and Dalton Sullivan picked off Barefield on fourth-and-goal from the Tiger 7. With 90 seconds to play, Caleb Lanham picked off a Barefield pass at the goal line.

South had pulled within 34-14 on a 50 second drive when Love scored on a 17 yard run with 3:28 left.

"We got down inside the 10 twice and didn't score. That was probably the difference in the game," South Pontotoc coach Mark Bray said. "When you've got opportunities like that, you've got to score and we didn't."

Love had 44 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns for the Cougars.

The game was called with 61 seconds to play when Nettleton's Forrest Jones had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.