KENTWOOD — The South Pike Eagles fell to the Jewel Sumner Cowboys 35-21 on Friday night in the Eagles’ second road game of the season.
“I feel very good about how the team played,” South Pike head coach Michael Andrews said. “It was an exciting ballgame and I feel like that if it wasn’t for certain situations such as turnovers and penalties that it could have possibly been a different outcome.”
Both teams came out starting slow in the first quarter, as they both continuously went three and out throughout the beginning of the game, and failing to take advantage of good field position.
The Cowboys scored the game’s opening touchdown off of a 26-yard pass from quarterback Dakota Stokes to take a 7-0 lead with six minutes to play in the first half.
South Pike’s Jaxavian Holmes ran in a four-yard touchdown on the goal line with just seconds left in the first half, which tied it at 7-7 at halftime.
However, the score could have been a lot different, but both teams failed to execute opportunities.
Chris Hampton of the Eagles (3-2) intercepted a pass in the first quarter, getting the ball to the Eagles’ 45 yard line, but after failing to move with the ball, South Pike was forced to punt.
With 10:11 remaining in the second quarter, the Eagles fumbled the ball on the Cowboys’ 9 yard line, failing to take advantage of another opportunity to score.
In the third quarter, however, the Cowboys began to take control of the game.
South Pike quarterback Qauvonte Adams threw an interception with 5:56 in the third that would be returned to the Eagles’ 29-yard line, setting up the Cowboys for a 14-yard passing touchdown from Stokes, with 5:38 left in the third to put the Cowboys up 14-7.
South Pike was forced to fourth down on the following drive, but with 2:35 to play in the third, the Cowboys blocked a punt, giving them possession at the Eagles’ 31-yard line.
The Cowboys wasted no time and scored off of a 4-yard goal line rushing touchdown from running back Joseph Dickerson as the third quarter ended to extend their lead to 21-7.
In hopes of sparking a comeback, Adams completed a 47-yard pass to receiver John Jones with 11:08 to play in the final quarter. The pass set the Eagles up on their opponents’ 1-yard line, allowing Adams to run in the goal line touchdown with 10:59 in the fourth, but they still trailed 21-13.
A worn out, tired Eagles defense gave up a 53-yard touchdown from Joseph Dickerson with 10:01 in the fourth to put the Cowboys lead at 28-13.
However, the Eagles refused to give up.
On their next drive, running back Marc Varnado scored off of a goal line touchdown, and they completed the 2-point conversion, narrowing the deficit to 28-21 with 7:58 to go.
The Cowboys (3-1) proved to be too much to handle for the Eagles, as Stokes completed a 44-yard passing touchdown with 5:53 left in the game, which would lock up the 35-21 win for the Cowboys.
“The second half we came out a little flat,” Andrews said. “We didn’t adjust to a formation where they were running an outside zone. If we could take that back, I think it would have alleviated the big run play that they made. I think that was the difference as far as momentum swinging their way.
“We must work on penalties and turnovers. That will be the main focus this week, is to eliminate those mental errors. Overall, I feel like the team played together and never quit. We had our chances in the first half to score in the red zone but we fumbled the football, and they took advantage of that situation. I also feel like we beat ourselves. Not taking anything away from Jewel Sumner, but we had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of and we didn’t. I’m sure statistically we beat them in every category except on the scoreboard. That’ll be the main focus this week, eliminate the mental aspects and errors and focus on making a big play when we have to.”
Adams finished the game 12 of 24 for 192 yards passing with 2 interceptions, along with 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. Varnado and Holmes combined for 128 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.
On defense, senior defensive back Justin Givens led the team with 13 tackles.
The Eagles host McComb High School at 7 p.m. Friday to open district play.
“We’re going to prepare for McComb as any other ball game,” Andrews said about the matchup. “We’re going to take it one game at a time. It is our rivalry game, and it’s also a district game, so I’m sure we’ll have all of the attention this week as far as mental preparation and our responsibilities in practice. I think it will be a very exciting week, and it will be an exciting ball game this coming Friday night.”
