Poplarville Thumps Mendenhall, 35-6; Punches Ticket Back to State

- not taking anything for granted- here on the news 25 - friday night showcase...- alongside grace boyles... i'm - jeff- haeger... and grace... we almos- didn't have a show this - week.

- we needed at least two coast- teams to advance to south - state...- and while pascagoula gave us- quite a scare with that - overtime thriller... poplarvill- never left any- doubt about its place in the- semi-finals.- yeah, grace... hornets coming - off their largest playoff - win of the jay beech era... en- route to their fifth straight - south state championship game - appearance.

- to the hornets nest we go...- poplarville hosting - mendenhall... fresh off that- 56-point thumping of north- pike... - what would the defending south- state champs do for an encore?- well... play like the defending- south state champs... first - play of the entire game...- gregory swann... the winner of- this year's hornet ironman- competition... burn one... no - one else even in the shot...- other players say he's the- fastest guy - on the team... i believe it,- grace... touchdown- hornets... picking up right - where they left off, last - week... with- a 8-nothing lead... 16 seconds- into the game.- ensuing possession... tigers- going to the air... and it's- picked off, by hagen hall... d-- jenkins never even saw him... - - - and there's plenty of room to - work, down that visitors- sideline... nice return by- hall... and poplarville is righ- back in - business.

- now we all know about the wing-- t... very run heavy... but- here's a pass that catches- everyone by surprise... nate- anderson... to khalid moore...- but it's right through his- hands... as both players run- right into your living room...- mud - bowl in full effect.- two plays later... hornets goin- back to their senior... gregory- swann... singing his swan - song... but it's not for his- team... - touchdown poplarville... one of- the team captains...- getting his second touchdown...- in the first three- minutes of the game... 16-zero- now.- and looking to go up even - more... on the goal line... but- matt will fumbles the snap into- the end zone... and it's- recovered by the tigers... that- could've been the early kill- shot... but instead... new life- for mendenhall.

- but the tigers had to fight for- every inch... jenkins testing - that poplarville secondary- again... bad idea... torry- polk... one - of the other team captains... - drops the boom... for a big tim- third down stop.- however... mendenhall convertin- on fourth down... - and then perhaps getting a- little help from the- officials... looks like a clear- fumble by jenkins...- hornets recover... but they cal- it an incomplete- pass... hornets can't believe - it... drive continues.- and by the end of the drive...- the tigers had gone 80 yards...- capped- off by jenkins... keeping it- himself, around the left side..- that's good for six... peace be- with you... so the hornets lose- the - shutout... but that's all the - opposition would get.

- poplarville would pad its - cushion, before the half... - thanks- in large part to d-j- richard-bey... the team's - leading rusher... - dominated that drive... and - - - seals the deal... punching it i- from a yard out... as the - hornets head into the half... - 23-6.

- and in end... it's the- hornets... doing what they do..- heading - back to state for the fourth- time in five years... - incredible factory of - greatness... as the hornets - punch their ticket... 35-6 fina-