- 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 o- the jay beech era... en route t- 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... - leading - 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- final.- - so for the fourth time in five- years... it's poplarville - representing the south... in th- 4-a state title game... what- about pascagoula?
- the panthers haven't been in- this spot since 2012... however- they're certainly one of the- more battle-tested teams in the- state... having missed two game- due to covid-19...- winning the region 4 class 5-a- championship by virtue of a - four-way tie-breaker... and - pulling off the comeback win of- the year... with last week's- walk-off field goal.- pascagoula playing host to a- west jones team making its thir- straight appearance in south- state... and the panthers - getting hot at the right time.- 1.
First drive of the game... - quarterback keilon parnell- keeps it and shows off his- wheels with a 13 yard pick up.- first down panthers.- 2.
Later that same drive... - parnell connects with - receiver terrance goodwin who - tacks on a few- yards after the catch.- pascagoula moves the sticks - once again.
- 3.
Still same drive... ball - security playing a crucial role- in- the game..
Ball is fumbled on - the handoff..
However parnell - is able to recover it.... - 4.
Panthers end up falling shor- of the goal line though which - brings up fourth and four.- and settles for a field goal...- kicker caden chisholm gets- the panthers on the board, 3 -- nothing.- 5.
Second quarter... mustangs - revving up their- offense... quarterback alan - follis with this 15-yard- rocket.,..
In the rain by the - way... to receiver zyquan - williams... - bringing west jones all the way- - - - down to the 3 yard line.
6.
Nex- play... running back kentrel- pruitt in at the wildcat... - at first he's just short... and- then he makes the extra effort- to- - cross the goal line for the 3-- yard touchdown.
West jones- misses the extra point, however- still takes the lead, 6 - 3 - halfway through the second.
- 7.
Panthers ensuing posession..- snap goes over- punter josh forsman's head and- it rolls out the back of the- endzone resulting in a safety.- mustangs go up 8 - 3.
- 9.
Late in the second in the- second...kicker joseph- hernandez hits the 30-yard fiel- goal... mustangs extend their - lead... 11 - 3.
- 8.
Time winding down in the - half... pruitt back in the- wildcat position which means- west jones is short and goal...- pruitt punches in the 2-yard- touchdow, his second on the - night and eighth this season.
- west jones holds the lead - going into half, 18 - 3.- pascagoula shuts out the- mustangs in the second half and- finds the endzone twice...- however... the panthers'- comeback fell short this week.- west jones comes away with- - - - the 18 - 16 victory and a ticke- to the state championship - where they will face west point- pascagoula isn't going away - though.
Along with sophomore- quarterback keilon parnell, the- panthers will be- - - - returning 3 of their top- producing receivers - - - - - -
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