By Pat Culverhouse
Javen Calloway’s touchdown-saving pass deflection with time expiring in the game, combined with Jaden Johnson’s football hat trick helped the Minden Crimson Tide outlast Homer’s Pelicans 29-22 Friday.
With just over five minutes remaining in the game, Homer turned away the Tide on a fourth and goal from the Pelican five yard line, leaving the one-score margin in place. Homer then began a 14-play, 88-yard drive to a first and goal at Minden’s seven yard line.
An incomplete pass and a pair of rushes which netted a minus four yards left the Pelicans with fourth and goal from the Tide seven with 10 seconds left. Homer quarterback Kevin Williams took a shot into the end zone, but Calloway was there to knock the ball away with three seconds left on the clock to preserve the win.
Minden had taken a 29-14 lead late in the third quarter on the strength of a nine-yard TD scamper by Jaden Johnson. It was the Tide running back’s third touchdown of the game. He scored on a 17-yard run with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, and sprinted 75-yards in the second to put Minden ahead 21-13.
Lucas Owens put the Tide into an early lead, dashing 12 yards up the middle with 4:58 remaining in the opening quarter to cap a seven-play, 79-yard drive. Carter Martin’s kick made it 7-0.
Raymond Castro broke loose or a 23-yard TD run to bring the Pelicans back, but a two-point conversion failed to leave it 7-6.
Minden led 21-14 at the half, and upped the margin on Johnson’s third TD and a two-point conversion. Homer’s comeback came when Williams hooked up with Antonio Casey for a 44-yard scoring pass in the third quarter.
Owens led all rushers in the game with 138 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown, followed by Johnson’s 125 yards in just six attempts. Jardon Carey added 60 yards as the Tide piled up 313 yards on the ground. Quarterback Kaiden King finished the night with three completions on six attempts worth 43 yards.
Williams was the big producer for the Pelicans, gaining 73 yards on the ground while completing 15 of 24 pass attempts for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Raymond Castro added 87 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Leading receivers for Homer were Jer’zyion Levingston with six catches for 85 yards and Antonio Casey with 76 yards on five catches and a pair of touchdowns.
Minden goes to 2-0 for the young season heading into a Friday matchup with West Ouachita. West Ouachita dropped a 28-22 decision to Northwood in its last outing.
Homer’s next game pits the 0-2 Pelicans against long-time, intra-parish rival Haynesville in a Golden Tornado homecoming.