Tigers clip Eagles’ wings in district opener

By Myra Bean

The South Panola Tigers (5-0 overall, 1-0 district) now officially owns the longest win streak in Mississippi with 65 consecutive wins, after a 35-7 win over the Horn Lake Eagles Friday night.

The Tigers and the Eagles opened district play in Horn Lake with the usual physical action which marks this game between the two teams.

The Tigers scored only one rushing touchdown, one kickoff return, but had three strikes in the air.

Quarterback David Renfroe completed five of eight passes for 161 yards and the three touchdowns before he went out in the bottom of the second quarter with a shoulder injury. Renfroe threw two interceptions.

Mario Nash relieved Renfroe at the quarterback position. Nash threw one interception.

Penalties again haunted the Tigers as they were charged with 15 penalties for 105 yards. Through five games, the Tigers have been penalized 68 times for 525 total yards. Tiger opponents have been penalized 23 times for a total  of 156 yards.

Horn Lake had four penalties for 29 yards Friday night.

The Tigers scored on their first possession. On third down and eight from their own 30, Renfroe found Tig Barksdale for a reception who raced 70  yards for the touchdown with 10:15 on the clock. Renfroe was perfect on the night in PATs (points after touchdown).  The Tigers led 7-0.

On the PAT, Horn Lake was hit with a personal foul and the Tigers kicked off from the 45 yard line and the kick went in the end zone.

The Tigers turned their next possession over on an interception with 7:11 left in the first quarter. The Eagles could not capitalized and punted.

South Panola received the punt in Horn Lake territory on the 47. Justin Market moved the ball to the 16 yard line. On third down and six from the 12, Renfroe found tightend David Baker for his first touchdown of the season.

With the PAT, the Tigers led 14-0 with 2:48 left in the first quarter.

After the Eagles punt, the Tigers fumbled the ball away and the Eagles recovered it with 4.3 seconds on the clock. At the buzzer, the Eagles fumbled and linebacker Joshua Shipp recovered it  on the Tiger 28 yard line.

The Tigers drove down to their own 53 yard line before Renfroe found Xavier Lee on a short pass. Lee then danced around, got loose and sprinted 53 yards for a touchdown with 9:51 left in the first half. With the PAT, the Tigers led 21-0.

Horn Lake opened up a big hole for the running back on its next possession, but Deshun Sandridge plugged it up with his helmet, stopping a possible big run at the line of scrimmage on the 45.

Bud Barksdale intercepted a Horn Lake pass with 4:26 left in the half, but the Tigers were hit with a pass interference call which negated the interception. Horn Lake turned the possession over on downs.

On first down, Horn Lake intercepted a Tiger pass with 2:03 on the clock. South Panola was penalized again for pass interference. The Tigers refocused. On an Eagle halfback pass to the end zone, Tig Barksdale was in position to intercept the pass.

With 55.5 seconds left in the half, South Panola turned the ball over again with an interception. The Eagles took a knee to end the half with the Tigers ahead 21-0.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and controlled the ball for the first eight minutes of the third quarter.

With 4:04 on the clock, the Tigers capped a 14-play, 65 yard drive with an 10 yard run by Market. With the PAT, the Tigers led 28-0 going into the final quarter.

The drive was riddled with four  Tiger penalties. Nick Parker had scored on a five-yard run, but it was negated with an illegal shift penalty which moved the ball to the 10.

Horn Lake scored on its first possession of the fourth quarter. They began at the Tiger 45 after Tiger defensive coordinator Willis Wright called for the No. 2 defense.

The Eagles were aided by a roughing the passer penalty on the Tigers which moved the ball to the Tiger six yard line.

On second and goal from the six, Horn Lake scored on a pass from Taylor Grace to Bakari Trott with 6:19 left in the game.  The PAT cut the Tiger lead 28-7.

The final Tiger score was an 88-yard kickoff return by Market with 6:01 left in the game. The PAT sealed the victory 35-7.

A sack by Jarred Draper forced a turn over on downs with 4:28 left in the game.

The Tigers pounded out 204 rushing yards and 161 passing yards for a total of 365.

Horn Lake was held to 66 total offensive yards, minus 16 rushing and 82 passing.

The Tigers used eight backs to rush the ball and four receivers.

Tig Barksdale was the leading Tiger rusher with 106 yards on 17 carries.  Barksdale had one reception for a 70 yard touchdown.

Market had 55 yards on five carries and one touchdown. He scored on a kickoff return.

Domonique Carothers had 18 yards on four carries, followed by Parker with 16 yards on three carries.

Nash rushed for six yards on seven carries. He lost 11 yards on a sack.

Relieving Nash at quarterback is JePeri Mitchell, brother of senior offensive lineman, Quinn Sanford. He rushed for six yards on one carry.

Xavier Lee had one reception for a 53-yard touchdown. David Baker had two receptions for 25 yards and one touchdown. Nash had one reception for 13 yards.

The Tigers will clash with rival Olive Branch Friday for homecoming. Olive Branch defeated Southaven 31-14.

This rival has the making of the game of the week for Mississippi as the No. 1 state-ranked Tigers will take on the No. 3 Olive Branch Conquistadors. The ‘Quistors are expected to move up after No. 10 Laurel snapped then No. 2 Wayne  County’s 19-game win streak 31-28.

In other 1-5A action, Tupelo defeated Columbus 31-20; and Starkville was over Desoto Central 31-19.