NASHVILLE — Senior quarterback Cole Malawy threw for 286 yards and four touchdowns to lead Nashville to a 48-7 win over Du Quoin, assuring the Hornets at least a share of the SIRR Mississippi title.

Playing a rare varsity game on a Monday night after Friday night’s game was postponed due to weather, the Hornets came out buzzing, grabbing a quick 14-0 first quarter lead, then adding two more touchdowns in the second quarter.

Malawy and Nick Miller worked the option for an 11-yard touchdown to give the Hornets a 21-0 lead. Then after Du Quoin turned it over on downs, Malawy hit Jaxon Goforth for a 35-yard touchdown strike. The Hornets took a 28-0 lead into halftime.

Du Quoin got the ball first in the second half, but Radyn Schwartzkopf picked off David Lee. That helped set up Luke Ehret’s two-yard TD run to put the Hornets up 34-0.

After a Du Quoin three and out, Malawy hit a wide open Isaac Turner for a 28-yard touchdown to put the Hornets up 41-0 and start the continuous clock. Each team scored in the fourth.

Nashville improves to 3-1 on the season, 3-0 in the Mississippi. They can wrap up the title outright with a win at Anna-Jonesboro April 23. Before then, the Hornets will host Benton Saturday after some scheduling flip flops. Nashville was originally scheduled to play Massac County this Friday night. Due to IHSA rules, since they played Monday, the Hornets cannot play their next game before Saturday. Massac County was unavailable to play Saturday, so now the Patriots will travel to Sparta Friday night. The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play Benton this week, but informed the Rangers a couple of weeks ago, they would not be playing that game due to a lack of numbers. The unbeaten Rangers wrapped up a share of the Ohio title with a 40-18 win over Murphysboro Saturday night.

The Indians fall to 1-3. They will host Harrisburg in a game that has been moved to Saturday.