ABERDEEN — Aberdeen High School football coach Mark Bray and third-year North Panola coach Derek King expected a close game when their teams met Friday night in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A North State playoffs.
That’s the way things started, as Aberdeen nursed a 20-16 lead at halftime.
But Aberdeen scored 26 unanswered points in the second half and the defense held the Cougars to -2 yards rushing, 6 yards passing, and one first down (on a penalty) en route to a 46-16 win.
North Panola came into the game averaging 38 points and allowing nearly 30 per game.
“We knew going in that they could score, but we were confident we could score, too,” Bray said. “We weren’t getting much done on either side of the ball in the first half, but our defense picked things up in the second half. They stuffed everything that came their way, and that sparked our offense.”
King had no explanation for his team’s performance in the second half.
“This is a team that has never stopped fighting,” King said. “But that wasn’t the case tonight, and I’m not sure why because tonight’s effort was inconsistent with what we’ve had so far. It’s good to have the flash and dash offensively, but it doesn’t help when your defense doesn’t tackle folks.
“But that’s on me because it’s my job to get into their hearts and minds, and as of 25 minutes ago, we’re preparing for the 2015 season.”
It didn’t take the Cougars long to dent the scoreboard after recovering the opening squib kick at the Aberdeen 41-yard line. Seven plays later, Ole Miss commit Willie Hibbler scored from 5 yards out and then added the two-point conversion run for an 8-0 lead a little more than two minutes into the game.
North Panola then shanked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to give Aberdeen a first down at its 49. Quarterback Josh Williams completed four consecutive passes, the last one a 17-yard strike to Jerrick Orr. Williams’ conversion pass was knocked down by Darius Thomas.
After an exchange of possessions, Aberdeen’s Tramonte Prather intercepted a Jatavious Farmer pass at the Cougars’ 35 and returned it to the North Panola 5.
Two plays later, Donte Carter scored on a 1-yard run and added the conversion for a 14-8 lead with 2 minutes, 2 seconds left in the first quarter.
After an exchange of possessions, North Panola mounted its best and longest drive, a 12-play 75-yard march capped by a 13-yard touchdown strike from Farmer to Hibbler, who also added the conversion for a 16-14 lead with a little more than five minutes left in the second quarter.
Aberdeen’s Quincy Crump recovered another North Panola squib kick at midfield to give his team excellent field position. Four plays later, Carter bolted 29 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and a 20-16 halftime lead.
Leading by four points but with 54 yards rushing on six attempts and only 70 yards passing despite a 13-for-13 effort from Williams, Bray opted to go with his ground game in the second half.
“Most of what we got the first half were short passes because they loaded up to stop the deep throws,” Bray said, “so we decided to run the ball more with Carter (Donte) on the inside traps and some jet sweeps, and it paid off.”
The change of strategy resulted in 210 yards rushing the second half, as Williams completed only three more passes for 58 yards.
Aberdeen missed a scoring opportunity early in the third quarter when Tyreke Gates streaked 47 yards to the North Panola 6, but Thomas stripped the ball and Kiron Covington recovered for the Cougars.
North Panola punted the ball back to Aberdeen and it took the Bulldogs only five plays to score on a 13-yard run by Carter. Gates’ conversion run made it 28-16.
Aberdeen made it 34-16 on its next possession when 10 consecutive running plays set up Josh Williams’ 10-yard scoring pass to B.J. Williams with six seconds left in the third quarter.
Yet another Cougar three-and-out to start the final quarter led to Carter’s fourth touchdown, an 8-yard run up the middle that made it 40-16 with 9:20 to play.
Less than three minutes later, Orr drove the final dagger into the Cougars’ playoff hopes with a 47-yard scamper thanks to downfield blocks by Jamarcus Tallie, B.J. Williams, and Prather.
Williams was 16 of 16 for 129 yards and two scores, while Carter bulled his way to a game-high 127 yards on 14 carries, four scores and a two-point conversion.
After running and passing for 187 yards in the first half, North Panola finished with 191 yards.
“When we got the momentum there early in the third quarter, it took the wind out of their sails,” Bray said.
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