Jackson State’s Leilani Armenta is the first woman to score in an HBCU game

Armenta — a 5-foot-7 native of Ventura, Calif., who is also a Jackson State football player — made history in the second quarter, capping a touchdown run that included a 25-yard pass from Jacobian Morgan to DJ Stevens with 5:35 remaining. Before the end of the first half.

She added two more points in the fourth quarter as the Tigers improved to 6-3.

“We didn’t know this was going to happen, and we’re so excited. We all started screaming because we had no idea,” Brandi Armenta, Leilani’s mother, told the Clarion Ledger. “My daughter had no idea she was going to play today. We are so happy.”

Jackson State’s Dylan Wasson also scored in the game. He finished with two field goals and an extra point as the Tigers kept the 1-7 Winless Golden Lions in the SWAC at 0-5.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for all season, a complete game of all three phases for our football team,” Jackson State coach TC Taylor said. “The special teams were lights out today. The defense was lights out; they did what they do every week — create turnovers, get to the quarterback and take the opposing offense off the field.”

“The offense came last, too. They did a great job. I think the thing with the offense is just the turnovers, and they killed that off today.”

Jackson State improved to 4-2 in league play.