George County erases 19-point deficit, wins thrilling 43-40 game over Pascagoula to earn home-field advantage
Deuce Knight knew where he was going with the football before he snapped it.
The Notre Dame commit lofted a ball toward the corner of the goal line and Marlin Odom snared it in mid-air over two Pascagoula defenders and landed in the end zone for what would be the go-ahead touchdown in a thrilling 43-40 win over the Panthers.
“I knew I was going to Marlin before the play even started,” Knight said after the game. “He’s a Division I player for a reason, these are the plays you have to make. I knew I was going to him.”
Knight dazzled with five passing touchdowns in leading the Rebels back from a 19-point deficit. The win clinched a No. 2 seed and first round home-field advantage in the 6A playoffs next week.
It also earned GCHS its first 8-win regular season since 2007.
“The heart and character of our kids to hang in there and believe in what we were saying as coaches, the message we gave at halftime and, when everything is going as bad as it can go in the first half, to come back and play a second half like that is unbelievable,” Rebel coach James Ray said. “I’m so proud of our team.”
Pascagoula scored the first three touchdowns of the game, including once on a long fumble recovery returned to the house.
The Panthers scored first out of the break to build a 40-21 lead, but the show belonged to the Rebels from that point forward.
“I told Deuce, ‘I ain’t losing this game,’” Odom said.
George County scored the last three touchdowns of the night and two of them went into the hands of Odom, the first of which a 37-yard catch in the third quarter.
Knight also distributed scoring tosses to Montrell Dortch and two to Brenn Moody.
The Rebels are now in the postseason for the fourth time in eight years and will be looking for their first playoff win since the 2007 team reached state.
“That’s what’s important, is that we have gotten over a hump,” Ray said. “Being at home in the playoffs is a huge advantage. We’re really good on our home field. We lost to two really good teams in Hattiesburg and Picayune, but we’re really good on our home field and you stay away from those really good teams for at least one round.”
Knight’s team
Knight didn’t start the season a Rebel. The junior made a last-second transfer to Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee with cousin and teammate Kohl Bradley before both decided to return after three games.
By rule, Knight had to sit out three games upon returning. In the five total contests the Rebels played in his absence, GCHS went 4-1 with Moody at quarterback.
Knight’s first start of the season as a Rebel came in the loss to Hattiesburg. It proved to be an adjustment for him and his offense, but Knight and Co. quickly found a groove.
“I was rusty that Hattiesburg game, but we started hitting our stride,” Knight said. “(The team) had hit their stride, but when I came back, I had to get back into the groove of playing with these guys again. But my receivers, guys like Marlin, Brenn and (Montrell), those guys I hang with every day. They’re my best friends. We got a special connection.”
“He’s a dog,” Odom said of his quarterback. “So I knew he was going to come down and get back right. We got back on track and kept going.”
George County has now won four of its last five games heading into the postseason. Th Rebels will host Terry next Friday in hopes of ending a seven-game playoff losing streak.
“We haven’t played much football in November, so we got to attack it,” Knight said.
Pascagoula quarterback Silas Corder tossed three touchdown passes in the loss and will be leading his Panthers to Hattiesburg where they’ll have to face the two-seeded Tigers.
