Jake Jones and Lance McClain are well aware of exactly how much yardage separates them in the race for the Golden Circle rushing title.

22 yards.

Jones said he’s been following the rushing race in the Daily Sun. McClain said he’s been checking the leaders online.

“I’ve got 1,368 and he’s got 1,390,” McClain said Thursday. “That’s 22 yards.”

They both admit it will be a motivating factor when Jones and Wortham take on McClain and Hubbard on Friday night in Wortham. It’s an interesting subplot to a game that has playoff implications for both the Bulldogs and the Jaguars.

“I’m glad it’s coming down to the last game,” Jones said. “It’s pretty cool it’s going to be decided like that.”

McClain held the lead for the last several weeks until Hubbard had its bye last Friday. Needing 173 yards against Axtell to overtake McClain, Jones put up 195 yards on 23 carries to take the top spot in the Golden Circle.

The race has come down to these two fine football players.

Corsicana’s Cody Evans has 1,176 yards and needs a career night and more to pass Jones and McClain.

Dawson’s Alex Shaw has 1,126 yards and has played one less game, but even at that he’s out of contention because he gets about half the carries McClain and Jones get. Shaw is averaging 141 yards per game while Jones is at 154 and McClain at 152 per game.

The Jones-McClain faceoff is an interesting one because, for one, they play different positions — Jones is a tailback, McClain is a quarterback.

They have different styles. Jones is a between-the-tackles runner in Wortham’s power offense. He looks for a hole, hits it and gets as much as he can. He is a tremendous athlete, also one of the best baseball players in the Golden Circle.

McClain is a speedster who was moved from receiver to quarterback this year so he’d have the ball in his hands on every play. You might not know but McClain was robbed of a trip to the state track meet in the 100 meters last year because race officials at regionals decided to run the final again because of poor track conditions (it was raining during the first race).

McClain finished third in the second final and didn’t make it to Austin. The UIL then blew it by not opening up a spot for McClain by adding a ninth runner.

“It hurts really bad,” McClain said at the time. “I think about it everyday.”

McClain has been motivated by his track fiasco.

“He’s just so quick,” Jones said. “He has speed. He can juke. He does everything.”

McClain said Jones is one of the best runners in District 21-1A along with Shaw and Itasca’s Desmond Guy.

“He’s a hard runner,” McClain said. “That’s what he is. He gives it all he has.”

Jones and McClain said they are friendly rivals and usually talk whenever they’re at an event competing against each other.

“He’s a good kid,” McClain said. “Jake’s the kind of kid your parents would want you hanging out with.”

Of course, both players said the rushing title is secondary to making the playoffs. Wortham needs a win and some help from Italy. Hubbard needs to win by 14 or more points and have Italy beat Itasca.

Both Jones and McClain also know whichever defense is able to slow down the other runner will win the game.

And since this is 1A football, both players will be in on all of the defensive plays too.

“It would be huge to win this game,” Jones said. “We’ve had a great season with a coaching change. We want to win on Homecoming. We haven’t done that in three years.”

McClain said he’s had his best week of practice in two years, getting ready to go for the rushing title and the win.

“We’re depending on ourselves and depending on Italy,” McClain said. “It’s two good teams. The rushing title is on the line. We’re ready.”



Running out front

Wortham running back Jake Jones leads Hubbard quarterback Lance McClain by 22 yards for the Golden Circle rushing title as they get set to square off against each other in Friday’s regular season finale. A look at the area rushing leaders heading into Friday night:

1. Jake Jones, Wortham 196 1,390

2. Lance McClain, Hubbard 165 1,368

3. Cody Evans, Corsicana 206 1,176

4. Alex Shaw, Dawson 126 1,128

5. Pat Faulk, Kerens 139 961

6. Christian De Jean, Frost 161 942