Football | 9/2/2026 10:05:00 AM

CLINTON -- The Clinton High School football team finishes its three-contest road trip Friday night as the Arrows take on Northwest Rankin in a non-region game.

Clinton and Northwest Rankin will kick off at 7 p.m. at Cougar Stadium in Flowood.

THE MATCHUP

The Arrows enter Friday's game following a 35-24 loss to the Warren Central Vikings after the Vikings erased a 17-point halftime deficit in Vicksburg.

After falling behind by seven points in the first half, Jayden Jones scored rushing touchdowns of 30 and one yards before Sean Ridley returned a fumble nine yards for a touchdown. Brayden Gough tacked on a 29-yard field goal, giving the Arrows a 24-7 advantage at halftime.

Warren Central responded with 28 unanswered points in the second half. Nash Morgan scored three rushing touchdowns in the third quarter before Javid Scott put the game out of reach with a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

"In the first half, we made a lot of plays, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Clinton Head football Coach Hamer Morgan said. "We forced a couple of turnovers and scored a touchdown on defense. We were also moving the ball well offensively. We came out in the second, and they got behind us in coverage and hit us with a deep pass. That helped them momentum on their side.

"I thought our kids were really well prepared for the game and played well. We just had some bad breaks in the second half," Morgan added.

Northwest Rankin enters Friday's matchup following a 60-27 loss to Germantown last week in Gluckstadt. The Cougars finished the 2025 season with a 6-5 overall record and advanced to the first round of the MHSAA Class 7A Playoffs.

Friday's contest marks the 29th meeting between the Arrows and Cougars. Clinton leads the all-time series 16-12 and has won three of the last five meetings. The Arrows defeated Northwest Rankin 19-11 last season at Arrow Field.

"I hope we carry over the things we did well and learn from the mistakes," Morgan said. "Hopefully, we fix those things, and I think we'll be fine."

WHAT TO KNOW

Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Location: Cougar Stadium, Flowood, Miss.
Tickets: $11/GoFan

WATCH/LISTEN

Fans unable to attend Friday's game can follow the Arrows through a video broadcast on HudlTV or a simultaneous audio broadcast on WJNT 1180 AM-96.9 FM.