James Clemens coach Bill Stewart talks to his team after the game Friday night.

Seeking their first victory, James Clemens stayed close to Buckhorn until the end when they just ran out of time in a losing effort 31-18.

The Jets played their best game of the season but in the end special teams miscues and big plays by Buckhorn were too much to overcome. The loss was especially hard for the players after James Clemens controlled the game in the first quarter.

“It hurts to play so good and end up with a loss,” said Deondre Douglas who scored the first touchdown for the Jets. “I had confidence the whole game we could come back, that is the mentality we have. To never give up.”

Douglas caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Heath Burchfield on fourth down and eleven to put the Jets up 6-0. The defense held Buckhorn without a first down in the first quarter. But disaster struck as the Jets attempted a field goal that was blocked and run back for a touchdown.

After an interception, Buckhorn went ahead with 16 seconds left in the first half on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Chapman to Javon Jackson.

James Clemens mishandled the opening kickoff in the second half costing themselves a possession. Buckhorn later went up two scores on a touchdown pass to Logan Marcum.

Douglas set up the Jets second touchdown with a 54-yard catch and run screen pass. Kameron Grant went in from a yard out to close the score to 18 -12 as neither team could convert an extra point.

James Clemens would get one more score as Burchfield scrambled 24 yards for a touchdown to make it 24-18 but Buckhorn came back to close the scoring with a 44-yard swing pass and run for a touchdown with 1:30 left in the game.

“We played better, we got to quit stabbing ourselves,” said James Clemens head coach Bill Stewart. “We had our chances. We have to get it done and it is going to start happening for us.”

Stewart said there was improvement in the defensive front and at linebacker where Jayce Hampton had three sacks and played a great game. Quarterback Heath Burchfield had his best game completing 12 of 28 passes for 187 yards but he had 3 interceptions including one to end the game.

James Clemens falls to 0-4 and 0-3 in region play. They will play at 5A East Limestone next week.