FORT SMITH -- Late in the third quarter, the game seemed to have turned into the favor of Fort Smith Southside.
But in an instant, Wynne seized control, scoring 23 consecutive points en route to a 72-44 nonconference win at Jim Rowland Stadium on Friday night.
The Mavericks (1-2) led 38-28 on an Issac Gregory's 28-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes, 12 seconds left in the third quarter. The score happened one play after Russell Key recovered a Wynne fumble.
Wynne (2-0) then scored on four straight possessions in the final 15 minutes and added a defensive touchdown to set the final margin.
The teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense and 50 first downs. The Yellowjackets rushed for 483 of its 577 total yards, while the Mavericks had 452 total yards, 300 on the ground.
Cobey Davis, a fullback in Wynne's double-slot offense, rushed for 216 yards on 33 carries with 3 touchdowns and 3 two-point conversions, while teammate Alonzo Holmes added 148 yards on the ground and 3 scores.
Gregory paced the Southside offensive effort with 239 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Wynne's second half rally began late in the third quarter when Holmes took a sweep around right end and raced 43 yards for a touchdown with 1:37 left. Davis added a two-point run and the Maverick lead had shrunk to 38-36.
Two plays after the score, defensive back Allen Jones picked off a George Herrell pass at the Yellowjacket 48. Two plays later, Wynne quarterback John Watson hit a wide-open Holmes for a 46-yard touchdown with just 23 seconds left in the third quarter. Another Davis two-point run put the Yellowjackets ahead 44-38.
Another defensive stop by Wynne, led to a short 40-yard drive, capped by Watson's 11-yard keeper with 9:29 left for a 50-38 lead.
Gregory kept Southside close on an 8-yard touchdown run with 7:37 left to get the Mavericks to within 50-44.
Wynne added three touchdowns in a two-minute span to put away the victory -- a 37-yard run by A.V. Jones, a 17-yard run by Davis and a 30-yard interception return by Conley -- and set the final score.
The Yellowjackets led 21-17 at halftime thanks to 162 yards and two scores from Davis and a 48-yard touchdown pass from Watson to Rashod Conley.
Wynne gained 290 yards in the first half, 242 on the ground using punishing runs by Davis.
The Mavericks gained 139 yards on the ground, led by Issac Gregory's 111 yards on 12 carries and a score. George Harrell passed for 42 yards, but the last 33 were to Grayson York for a touchdown late in the second quarter.