Pandemonium in Poplarville: Hornets survive first round of MS playoffs after wild finish
Poplarville had 90 seconds to respond and save its season. It needed only 18.
Quarterback Sydney Blackmon connected with running back Zack Case 29 yards over the middle for the go-ahead score with 1:13 left in the game, sealing a chaotic win over upset-minded Mendenhall in the first round of the 4A playoffs.
It was the second time in just 45 seconds of game clock that Poplarville (9-2) needed to answer to a Tiger touchdown. The Hornets survived fourth quarter deficits of 20-13 and 26-20 to earn a first round playoff victory for the 11th-straight season.
“They never quit, they believed we were going to win the game,” Poplarville coach Jay Beech told the Sun Herald of his team. “They didn’t know how we were going to win it, they just knew they were going to keep doing their job every time they get in to the best of their ability. We came out and made some great plays at the end and had a great win.”
The chaos began with the score locked at 13 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Poplarville had just turned back Mendenhall at the goal line thanks to an Eli Seal interception. But the momentum quickly swung full force back to the visitors’ sideline when Tigers linebacker Eddie Weathersby recovered a fumble and rumbled 40 yards the other way for six.
Poplarville responded with poise, taking five minutes off the clock and tying the game with a short plunge by Nick Miller.
But Mendenhall sucked the air out of the stadium again. Vincent Dixon caught a screen pass on the first play of the ensuing drive, broke a tackle, reversed field and raced 69 yards to the end zone. The Tigers left the door open by botching the point after attempt and the Hornets took advantage.
A hook-and-ladder to Miller set up Case’s second touchdown of the night and a third down sack by Titan Smith on Mendenhall’s ensuing possession sent Popvegas into a frenzy.
“It’s not Poplarville, you cannot back down at Poplarville,” Case said. “You always keep your head up and keep on going no matter what.”
Seniors carrying on tradition
Poplarville’s senior-heavy backfield has been the driving force behind the ninth straight top-two district finish for the Hornets.
Even without sophomore phenom Ty Keys for 10 of 11 games, the senior running back trio of Miller, Case and Thomas Lambert produced 1,790 rushing yards. Blackmon, also a senior, contributed 350 yards.
Combined, the quartet is responsible for over 2,000 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns.
“They’re as tough as nails,” Beech said of the group. “They’ve given everything they possibly can for their community and for their team and I’m just really proud of them.”
All four left a mark on the scoreboard against the Tigers. Case opened the scoring with a four-yard plunge in the first quarter and Lambert followed suit in the third with his four-yard touchdown run before Miller and Case each scored in the final moments of the game, the latter off the hand of Lambert.
Their efforts led to Poplarville’s sixth one-score win of the season.
“It’s a tradition, it’s winning tradition,” Blackmon said. “You get in here and bust your butt every single day and it’ll come.”
The senior class has been a part of 41 wins over the last four wins, including a 20-3 district record and 13 playoff wins. The one thing they and their predecessors have not accomplished during the now-decade run of consistent high-level success is winning the final game.
This group of Hornets wants to be the first in the school’s history to do just that.
“We want to bring the first Gold Ball back to Poplarville,” Blackmon said.
Poplarville will have to get through a familiar opponent next week to keep that dream alive. Region 7 champion Columbia awaits in the second round in a rematch of last year’s South State championship game, won 28-21 by the Wildcats.
It will be the fifth meeting between the two schools over the last four seasons. Columbia has won three of the last four and have turned back Poplarville twice in the semifinal round of the 4A bracket.
“We get to live on,” Beech said. “We get to go to the second round to Columbia, so it’s not going to be too hard to get excited for that.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
