By Angie Ledbetter

With a 54-10 routing of Northwest Rankin Friday night, the South Panola Tigers (11-1) earned a date with the Clinton Arrows (11-1) at home for the second round of playoffs. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Clinton staged a come-from-behind 31-23 victory over Southaven Friday night.

Tickets will be on sale at the high school Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $7 for school age children and older. Children five and under are free. No reserve tickets will be sold for playoff games.

Friday night’s game between the Tigers and the Cougars was a rematch from earlier in the season when the Tigers won 34-13. The two teams also met in the second round of playoffs last year. Friday night it was all about the Tigers.

Senior running back Domonique Carothers scored first with 7:07 left in first quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run and Nolan Parker’s extra point capped it off to put the Tigers on the scoreboard. Less than four minutes later, junior wide receiver Nicklos Brassell scored on 21-yard reception from quarterback Lee Self. Nolan Parker’s PAT put the Tigers up 14-0 at end of the first quarter.

Carothers started the second quarter with an 18-yard touchdown run with 10:44 on the clock and Parker added his PAT. Six minutes later on a 17 yard run, Carothers put the Tigers up 27-0, but the extra point was no good. Self connected with Brassell on a seven-yard touchdown reception with 2:37 left in the half but the two point conversion attempt failed. The Tigers led 33-0 at the half.

The Tiger defense held the Cougars until 9:03 in the third when they kicked a 45-yard field goal to avoid the shutout. Two plays later Carothers scored on a 40-yard dash to the endzone. With the PAT, the Tigers led  40-3.

The first team defense of the Tigers held strong all night. Kendrick Market intercepted a Cougar pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. The extra point by Parker was good to give the Tigers a 47-3 lead at the end of the third.

Senior running back Nicholas Parker broke out on a 79-yard touchdown run with 9:43 left in the game. Nolan Parker capped it off with a PAT to give the Tigers a 54-3 lead. Three minutes later the Cougars added their only touchdown of the night when Eddie Abraham scored on a seven-yard run and the PAT was good.

The Tigers racked up 492 yards from 342 rushing and 150 passing. They had 19 first downs and two penalties for 30 yards.

Nicholas Parker was the leading rusher with 201 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown, followed by Carothers with 101 yards on eight carries and four touchdowns. Market had one carry for 39 yards.

Self was 10 of 13 on passing for 150 yards with two touchdowns and one reception. Also on the receceiving end was Brassell with five receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Marcus Henry had one reception for 54 yards. Nolan Parker was six of even PATs.

Antonio Conner and Justin Wright led the defense with seven tackles. Wright had two for loss and Conner had one pass deflection. Qyen Griffin and Issac Gross followed with six tackles, two for loss and half a sack.

Other defenders include Temario Strong, five tackles, two for loss and one sack; Devin Clark, five tackles, one for loss and half a sack;  Dennis Draper, five tackles, two for loss and one pass deflection; and Kendrick Market, five tackles, one for loss and one interception. Nick Johnson had 4 with 2 for loss. Robert Wright had one interception.

The Cougars had 292 total offensive yards, including 235 passing.

Other second round games in 6A Friday night are Olive Branch at Madison Central, Meridian at Oak Grove and Ocean Springs at Natchez. More local action incldues Lafayette County playing at Shannon in 5A action and Charleston playing at Aberdeen in 3A action.