HATTIESBURG — Friday’s opposing coaches likened the football game they had just witnessed to that of a professional boxing match.
One team scored an early knockdown in taking a big lead, but the opposition got up and delivered some punishment of its own in the late going.
Parklane Academy found itself trailing Presbyterian Christian 21-0 midway through the third quarter. But Parklane forced some turnovers when it needed them and turned the miscues into points.
However, Parklane couldn’t quite dig out of its early deficit and dropped a 28-21 decision.
The loss in the AAA contest seriously hampered Parklane’s chances of advancing in the playoffs. The Pioneers fell to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in AAA action. PCS improved to 7-2 and 4-2.
“We just got off to a slow start the first half,” Parklane coach Mike Powell said. “We couldn’t get anything going. (PCS) was just making plays. You’ve got to tip your hat to them. But once we started getting things going, we were right in the thick of things.”
Trailing 28-21, Parklane’s Logan Morel recovered the fifth of the Bobcats’ five fumbles at the PCS 32 with 4:35 left to play.
The Pioneers reached the PCS 5 with 1:42 left. But a10-yard penalty for blocking below the waist, an 11-yard sack back to the 30, followed by an interception in the end zone with 66 seconds left sealed Parklane’s fate.
Powell said Parklane must beat Copiah Academy next week as well as Jackson Prep for any chance to reach the playoffs. Both games are scheduled for Cowart-Smith Stadium. The Pioneers will reportedly have to take care of Copiah and then beat Jackson Prep by more points, or better.
Powell said the Pioneers’ downfall was a result of not playing a complete game.
“We out-scored them 21-7 the second half, but we came out slow offensively the first half,” Powell said. “(Allowing) 14 points the first half is not that big of a deal if the offense is playing like it should. They out-played us the first half and we didn’t have enough in the tank down the stretch.”
Down 21-0, PA linebacker Dylan Barnes recovered a fumble at the PCS 20. It took but one play for the Pioneers to capitalize. Dan Gill hauled in a 20-yard pass from Lea for the score.
Zack McDaniel’s PAT got the Pioneers to within 21-7 with 3:04 left in the third quarter.
PCS regained momentum when it drove 56 yards in only four plays to score with 50 seconds left in the quarter. Micah Griffin caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Patterson. The big play in the drive was Hunter Norton’s 41-yard run.
On the Bobcats’ next possession, Cole Nunnery stripped the ball and Ardemis Wesley recovered for the Pioneers at the PCS 23. On the first play, Joseph Clark rambled 23 yards for the score with 9:11 left in the game to get the Pioneers to within 28-14.
The PCS miscues continued on its next series. PA linebacker James Michael Schmidt recovered a fumble at the PA 47 with 8:20 left.
It took Parklane seven plays to score. Lea sneaked it in from 1 yard out with 4:35 left.
On the kickoff, Logan Morel recovered a fumble at the PCS 32. But the Pioneers failed to take advantage of the situation.
PCS scored on the first play from scrimmage when Patterson connected with Chris Addison for a 46-yard touchdown pass.
The Bobcats made it 14-0 on a 34-yard run by Stephen Jones with 1:12 left in the first quarter.
“Outside a couple of plays in the first half, we played about as well as we could play,” PCS coach Joey Hawkins said. “We thought we were in control after we got up 28-7. Then here came the fumbles. You have to hand it to Parklane. They played their hearts out. We thought we had them out, but we let them back up off the canvas.”
The Pioneers suffered two big injuries. Junior linebacker Walt Aldridge reportedly suffered a fractured ankle in the first quarter. Senior wide receiver Justin Brent went out in the second quarter after getting hit in the head. He did not return to action.
Powell said he has no doubt his club will regroup against Copiah.
“The way these guys played the second half I know they’ve got a lot of fight in them,” Powell said.
