Prep Roundup: Poplarville rides 3-back attack, Picayune-East Central turns into classic
The Poplarville Hornets got 100 or more yards from three different running backs in their 27-7 win at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis on Friday night.
The teams were tied at 7-7 at halftime, but the steady pounding of the Hornets’ offensive line, extended drives and downhill runners eventually wore down the Rockachaws’ defense as the Hornets scored three touchdowns in the second half.
Gregory Swann led the Hornets with 122 yards on 16 carries, followed by D.J. Richardbey with 120 yards on 17 carries and Tyron Holston with 100 yards on nine rushes.
“We were just blocking our tales off,” Poplarville coach Jay Beech said. “Everybody was blocking for each other. Our offense played really, really tough. They (St. Stanislaus) are as physical as can be. We had to try to match their physicality, and I think we did a pretty good job of that.
“It means a lot,” said Beech on the Hornets getting their first win of the season after losing against three tough opponents. “We had the longest losing streak on the Coast is what everybody was saying.”
The Hornets got on the scoreboard first on the initial play of the second quarter when Swann capped a 7-minute, 11-play, 77-yard drive with a 6-yard carry for the score. All three 100-yard rushers pitched in on the drive as Richardbey carried four times for 32 yards, including a 17-yard tote on the first snap. Holston carried three times for 18 yards, and Swann four times, including the last two carries of 5 and 6 yards.
The Rockachaws went to their passing attack on their second possession and caught the Hornets off guard as Brady Favre completed three of four passes for 9, 17 and 23 yards. Favre called his own number with quarterback keepers of 14 yards and a 1-yard run for the score to tie the game at 7-7, following a PAT kick by Gene Hoffman.
The Hornets’ defense denied St. Stanislaus on fourth down on their first possession of the second half, and the Hornets’ offense rallied behind the momentum created by the defense. The Hornets put together a 7-play, 90-yard drive with Swann closing the drive with a 52-yard sprint in front of the Hornets’ bench for the go-ahead score (14-7).
Poplarville cornerback Hunter Martin intercepted Favre on the Rockachaws’ ensuing possession to give the Hornets good field position at the Rocks’ 42 yard line. The Hornets added a score five snaps later as Swann carried it in for his third touchdown of the night for a 20-6 Hornets’ lead.
Holston closed out the game’s scoring, breaking outside for a 41-yard score with just under 5 minutes remaining in the game, capping a 6-play 67-yard drive.
“We had chances to keep them on that pass-run conflict,” said St. Stanislaus coach Nathan Encrapera. “But they’re good. Their coach does a good job of putting their guys in position and changing looks. There’s no one guy. That’s the hard part. You can’t give them looks. You’ve got to get them off the field on third down.
“I think we did a good job of matching their physicality,” added Encrapera. “In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a team more physical than Poplarville.”
Poplarville (1-3) opens district play next Friday with a home game again Forrest County AHS. St. Stanislaus opens district play on the road against Moss Point.
Coast Football Stars of the Week
Justin Walley, D’Iberville — 7 carries for 91 yards, 3 TD; 4 catches for 43 yards.
Ruben Lee, Moss Point — 25-of-32 passing for 432 yards, 5 TD; 2 rushing TDs.
Brayson Hubbard, Ocean Springs — 10-of-14 passing for 185 yards, 1 TD and an interception; ran 14 times for 65 yards, 2 TDs.
Keilon Parnell, Pascagoula — Ran 16 times for 200 yards, TD; passing TD.
Gregory Swann, Poplarville — 16 rushes for 122 yards, 3 TD.
Moss Point 56, Stone High 50
Moss Point senior quarterback Ruben Lee led the Tigers to a victory in a barn burner in Perkinston Friday night, accounting for all seven of the Tigers’ touchdowns — five passing and two rushing.
Lee completed 25 of 32 passes for 432 yards as the Tigers improved to 2-2.
Stone High junior running back Carlos Brown also had a huge game, running 32 times for 359 yards and five TDs.
Moss Point led the game 42-38 after a first half that kept a frenzied pace with Lee throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns.
Moss Point next hosts St. Stanislaus while Stone High hosts Purvis.
Picayune 14, East Central 7
Picayune, which has relied on its vaunted rushing attack for many years, fell short of the 100-yard mark on the ground, but quarterback Isaac Hickman threw for 150 yards and ran for another score to lead the Maroon Tide rally in the second half.
“Our defense won the game for us. There’s no doubt,” Picayune coach Cody Stogner said. “We gave up one big play, but they stepped up to the challenge. We couldn’t get anything going on the ground tonight. I want to single out the whole defense. When their backs were against the wall, they came through.”
East Central (3-0, 0-1) led the game 7-0 at the half thanks to a 70-yard rushing TD by Cayden Fant midway through the second quarter.
Fullback Mitch Harper tied up the game with a 25-yard touchdown run on the Maroon Tide’s first possession of the second half.
Hickman provided the winning score on a quarterback keeper in the fourth quarter.
“They popped us in the first half. We were shell shocked a little bit,” Stogner said. “Our guys responded and we popped them back in the second half.”
Picayune (4-0, 1-0 in 4-5A) travels next to Gautier.
East Central’s next game against Long Beach has been called off due to a positive COVID-19 test for an LBHS player. It will count as a forfeit win for the Hornets.
Brandon 20, Gulfport 13
Brandon (2-2) pulled out a four-overtime victory over the Admirals (1-3) in a game that was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation.
Brandon senior running back Zailon Johnson ran 5 yards for a touchdown that the Admirals couldn’t answer in the fourth overtime.
The two teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, but neither could convert on the extra point.
Ocean Springs 27, Hancock 10
Ocean Springs sophomore quarterback Brayson Hubbard completed 10 of 14 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and an interception. On the ground, he ran 14 times for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Torrian Kelly, who had an 80-yard TD reception, had three catches for 104 yards.
Junior running back David Humphries added 12 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown for the Greyhounds (4-0, 1-0).
Hancock, which drops to 1-3 and 0-1 in Region 4-6A, had a lone touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Kameron Breland to Cameron Miller.
Harrison Central 42, West Harrison 0
The Red Rebels led 28-0 at the half and had little trouble taking down the Hurricanes.
Harrison Central improved to 3-0 and 1-0 in Region 4-6A with its defense allowing only 23 total points through the first three contests.
Sophomore quarterback Christian Turner completed 10 of 13 passes for 182 yards and 3 TDs. He also had a rushing score. His top receiver was Isaiah Atkins, who caught six passes for 132 yards and 2 scores.
Jaidon McClain and Atavian Ray both had 90 yards and a TD on the ground for the Red Rebels.
Harrison Central will host Biloxi next while West Harrison (1-3, 0-1) is headed to Gulfport next week.
Pascagoula 38, Pearl River Central 7
After scoring a total of 21 points in the two previous games, the Pascagoula offense came to life behind sophomore quarterback Keilon Parnell in Carriere.
Parnell, a Mississippi State baseball commit, ran 16 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 4 of 10 passes for 26 yards and a TD.
Pascagoula, which hosts Gautier next, held PRC (2-2, 0-1 in 4-5A) to 170 yards on 39 carries. Tyler Herring led the Blue Devils with 22 carries for 102 yards and a TD.
Other South Mississippi scores
West Marion 59, Vancleave 26
McComb 47, Bay High 14
Oak Grove 59, George County 14
Bogue Chitto 15, St. Patrick 6
Tylertown 32, St. Martin 21
D’Iberville 34, Biloxi 0
This story was originally published September 26, 2020 at 1:13 AM.
