By Matt Sigler
The Natchez Democrat

Lorman — After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, the Alcorn State Braves reeled off 52 unanswered points en route to their second win of the season, 52-10 against Louisiana College.
“We were sloppy in the first quarter and I wasn’t very pleased with the first half,” said Alcorn head coach Jay Hopson. “But I thought we executed well and played better in the second half.”
Louisiana College (1-1) got off to a fast start and looked like they were going to be able to hang with the Braves (2-1) in the game.
Adan Olivares connected on a 20-yard field goal to put the Wildcats up 3-0. Then, on the ensuing drive for Alcorn, quarterback John Gibbs Jr. was intercepted by Ira Jewitt who would go 56-yards on the return for a touchdown and push the Louisiana College lead to 10-0.
But that was one of the last positive Wildcat plays on the afternoon, with Alcorn getting back on track right after.
The Braves got on the board with a 35 yard field late in the first quarter from Haiden McCraney to cut into the lead. But the flood gates would open in the second.
Alcorn scored 28 points in the second quarter alone.
Anthony Williams III rumbled in from five yards out to tie the game at ten. Then, Anthony Williams Jr. made one of the plays of the day taking a punt back 82 yards for a touchdown and giving Alcorn the lead 17-10.
Aaron Baker would push the Alcorn lead to 24-10 on a two yard touchdown run, and Gibbs Jr. added to that on the last play of the second quarter, heaving a prayer into the end zone that eventually found the hands of Jordan Payne from 34 yards out.
The Braves took a 31-10 lead into halftime and would only continue to build on it.
Payne caught his second touchdown pass from Gibbs Jr. in the third quarter, this time from 26 yards out and Gibbs Jr. would find the end zone himself on a three-yard touchdown scamper to put the game out of reach for Louisiana College, 45-10.
Lenorris Footman capped the scoring for the Braves with an eight yard touchdown run late in the fourth.
The Braves crushed the Wildcats in most offensive categories, outrushing them 265 to nine, and out gaining them in total yardage 454 to 145.
“Our defense played solid,” said Michael Hurns, who recorded 3.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the game. “There were errors here and there. We are not where we want to be right now. We’re just going to keep working hard everyday to improve.”
The Alcorn defense recorded six sacks and also held Louisiana College to just three of 15 on third down.
However, the Braves main offensive threat wasn’t too pleased with his performance.
“I didn’t play so well, I wasn’t happy with how I played in the first half,” said Gibbs Jr. “I felt like I picked up a little towards the end before coach took me out and put the two’s in, but I wasn’t happy with how I played.”
Gibbs finished the game 18-31 for 189 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also racked up 42 yards rushing on 10 carries.
The Braves were coming off a heartbreaking loss to Southern Miss last week and Hopson admitted it was a little tough getting the team to put it in the past.
“Sometimes a loss like that kind of sits on you,” he said. “As much as you try to coach that out of them, it sometimes sits and dwells a little bit. I was just happy we responded.”
Next up for Alcorn is a trip to Itta Bena to take on Mississippi Valley State.