Tigers travel to Clarksdale after home opening win over Southaven
Published 10:13 am Friday, September 20, 2024
Coming off an exciting 41-37 win over Oxford last week, South Panola (2-1) was hoping to carry the momentum over to their home opener against Southaven on a Friday the 13th at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium.
The home opener for the Tigers was the first chance for fans to see the new turf and lighting system. The home stands were almost filled by kickoff, and fans enjoyed a dominating Tigers performance and a halftime show that featured the presentation of 2024 State Championship rings to the softball team.
Behind three rushing touchdowns and 170 yards rushing from Anderrious Flowers, the Tigers cruised to a 42-20 victory over the winless Chargers to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Flowers was the workhorse for the Tiger offense with 34 carries and scoring runs of 4, 3 and 2 yards while Marcus Christon added a 11-yard touchdown and a electrifying 74-yard punt return in the second quarter as South Panola took a 28-0 lead at intermission.
Southaven, coached by former North Panola coach Randel Montgomery, scored all their points in the third quarter, highlighted by a 90-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
The Chargers had closed the margin to 35-20 at the end of three periods.
South Panola wasted little time establishing control of the first half as junior quarterback Tristan Colenberg raced 61 yards on the third play from scrimmage giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead after Wyatt Long’s PAT.
On their following possession, Flowers capped off a six-play; 60-yard drive with a two-yard plunge with Long booting the point after for a 14-0 Tiger lead.
South Panola extended its margin to 21-0 after the first quarter on Christon’s punt return.
Christon would later find the endzone at the 7:53 mark of the third quarter on a 11-yard scamper to make the score 35-7.
South Panola out-gained Southaven 364-183 in total yardage on the night with 314 of that coming on the ground.
Colenberg followed Flowers in the rushing column with 114 yards on 12 carries to go along with 50 yards passing. Jamarcus Flowers and Carlos Robinson each had one carry for six yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Darren Moore and Jabarri Campbell registered four tackles each. Sophomore Braylon Key had five passes broken up.
South Panola travels to Clarksdale this Friday for a 7 p.m kickoff. The 5A Wildcats (2-2) are coming off a big 26-20 win over No.1 2A Charleston last week.
Clarksdale beat Coahoma County (28-0), and has losses to Cleveland Central (42-0) and Grenada (28-6).
Tigers fans can watch the livestream by paying a streaming fee at www.sptigerden.com and listen to the live audio at no charge at the same website.
