A 20-0 deficit in the first quarter proved too much for the South Panola Tigers to overcome as they fell to the Grenada Chargers by a final score of 33-21 at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium in Batesville Friday night. It was the 6A North Half championship game.

The Chargers stormed out of the gate, scoring on their opening drive and twice more in the first frame. South Panola responded with two touchdowns in the second quarter, while holding Grenda to a single score, and trailed 27-14 at the half.

There was no scoring in the third period, and each team scored once in the final quarter. The Chargers missed two of the PATs on their five touchdowns.

South Panola head coach Brooks Oakley said the first quarter was the difference in the game on a night when the visiting team seemed to get all the favorable bounces.

“When you start the way we started against a good football team, that’s probably the way it’s going to go,” Oakley said. “I told our guys I was proud of their fight, they never quit. At 20-0 a lot of teams would  have folded, but we kept fighting and made it a game.”

“You have to give credit to Grenada, they are a good football team and well coached,” Oakley said. “Hopefully they will go over there next Friday and win it all.”
The Chargers will play West Jones High School for the 6A state championship at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford on Friday at 7 p.m.

Mykel Allen led the Tigers on offense, scoring two touchdowns – one on a 80 yard run and the other on a 49 yard pass. He finished the game with 152 yards rushing on 18 carries and 96 yards receiving on five catches.

Michael Johnson carried the ball 18 times for 75 yards and one touchdown. Marcus Christon caught three passes for 31 yards.