Pascagoula gains measure of revenge, home playoff game, with victory over George County
Pascagoula isn’t afraid to admit what fueled the pounding it carried out Thursday in Lucedale.
The Panthers dominated in all three phases during a 49-13 rout of George County to claim the second seed out of Region 4-6A and earn the program’s first home playoff game since 2020.
It was a measure of revenge for the Panthers. Pascagoula has been carrying around the sting of last year’s season finale against the Rebels, where George County erased a 21-0 deficit and stunned the host Panthers with a last-minute, game-winning touchdown.
“For a year it’s been eating at us,” Pascagoula coach Lewis Sims told the Sun Herald after the game. “Our guys did a really good job of getting focused (tonight). We executed more than (George County) did. Last year, Deuce Knight torched us for six touchdowns. It was just tremendous that we were able to come out tonight and win.”
Pascagoula got three touchdowns from running back Amarie Jackson, Silas Corder threw two second half touchdown passes and the Panthers’ defense forced four Rebel turnovers.
Even special teams was a key factor. Jackson returned a kickoff 62 yards to the house at the end of the first half following George County’s first touchdown of the game, giving the Panthers a 21-7 lead and breaking the morale of a Rebels offense that had just clawed its way downfield to cut the deficit to one score.
“We say that there’s three phases to every win and tonight we made plays on offense, defense and special teams,” Sims said.
The team effort allowed Pascagoula to shake the proverbial monkey off its back and turn last season’s heartbreak into a reason to celebrate.
“The first thing I told the guys was that I had bad taste in my mouth from last year still and I wanted to get rid of it,” Corder said. “I think we did that.”
Jackson followed his kick return score with a second-half-opening 25-yard touchdown run, which served to officially open the floodgates on the blowout.
Pascagoula would find the end zone four times in the second half. Jackson was responsible for two of them and Corder delivered fourth down touchdown passes to DJ Nunnery and Jahkobian Maye.
Five-star rattled
Pascagoula turned to the same game plan Picayune used to slow down George County’s five-star quarterback and had resounding success. The Panthers routinely chased Knight out of the pocket and forced the Auburn commit to make quick decisions with little line of sight.
The Panthers added their own wrinkle to the plan by stalking the seams and taking away George County’s RPO attack. Tylan Wilson and Tomareo Johnson each came away with interceptions, giving Knight his first multi-interception game of the season.
“We pressured (Knight), that’s all we did is pressure him,” linebacker Jarrad Loper Jr said. “He obviously can’t handle pressure. Thirteen points.”
Knight had two rushing touchdowns and the second came in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand. It was just the second time in Knight’s last 16 games where the senior did not throw a touchdown pass, not including against Biloxi earlier this season — where he left in the first quarter due to injury.
Knight and running back Branden Gautier also mishandled a pair of exchanges that led to lost fumbles. Following last week’s three turnovers in the loss to Picayune, Knight had seven giveaways over the final two games of the regular season.
Unprecedented success creates opportunity
Pascagoula has put its historians to work this season by rewriting the school’s record books.
Corder became the school’s all-time leader in passing yards earlier this year and eclipsed the 5,000 career yards mark against the Rebels.
His backfield mate, Jackson, became a rare 1,000-yard rusher at Pascagoula with his electric showing against the Rebels and capped a monster campaign through the district slate where he has now crossed the century mark in four straight games.
“(Jackson) is a very special player and just being able to have him and watch him grow and achieve has been a really, really special thing,” Sims said.
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Pascagoula’s defense has been a decade-best. The Panthers allowed just 18.1 points per game during the regular season, the lowest mark since 2015.
All of it has led to a first round home playoff game against Terry. Being able to host a postseason game is a first for the vast majority of the Panther roster and an opportunity it is grateful to have.
“This year, there’s nothing in our minds beside state,” Corder said. “Having that home playoff game makes it a lot easier. We’re undefeated at home. I hope for that to continue.”
Pascagoula will host Terry out of Region 3-6A next week to open the playoffs. It will be the first ever matchup between the schools and the Bulldogs’ second straight playoff appearance after missing the previous 16 seasons.
George County will have to face the reigning 6A state champions on the road next week at West Jones. The Mustangs throttled Picayune 42-13 in last year’s South State championship game, but Sims believes the Rebels will put up a fight.
“George County is a really good football team and they’re going to be a bottle of hell in the playoffs,” Sims said.
