If anything was more impressive than South Panola’s 450 yards rushing that led to a 32-7 win over Clinton on a rainy Friday night, Sept. 27, at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium, it could have been the performance of the Tiger defense. 

Coming into the non-conference tussle, the Arrows were averaging 37 points per game including a 65-62 win over then No.1 Brandon two weeks ago but could only muster a meager 125 total yards against a swarming South Panola defense that registered five quarterback sacks. 

The No. 4 ranked Tigers improved to 4-1 on the season heading into a bye week before hosting Saltillo next Friday, Oct.11, to open Region 1-6A play. 

Having forced Clinton to turn the ball over on downs, the Tigers struck quickly on its opening series when running back Jamarcus Flowers took the direct snap from center and scored from 18 yards out to cap off a ten-play, 66-yard drive with the PAT blocked. 

South Panola expanded its lead to 13-0 late in the first quarter as Marcus Christon scored his first of two touchdowns with a 52-yard scamper at the 1:50 mark as Wyatt Long booted the point after. 

The Tigers put together an impressive 89-yard drive that took over nine minutes off the clock in the second clock with Flowers dragging three tacklers into the endzone from five yards out to give the Tigers a 20-0 lead after Long’s successful PAT.

Clinton avoided the shutout by taking the second half kickoff and scoring on a 38-yard pass reception.

South Panola put the game out of reach on the following possession as quarterback Tristan Colenberg showed his elusiveness with a 51-yard scoring run to make the score 26-7. Colenburg led all rushers with 15 carries for 205 yards. 

The Tigers added its final touchdown of the night on a Christon six-yard jaunt with 4:46 left in the fourth quarter to make the score 32-7 after Long’s PAT was blocked. Christon finished the game with 75 yards on seven carries while Anderrus Flowers added 19 carries for 88 yards. 

Carlos Robinson registered 52 yards on eight carries while A.J. Rudd contributed 17 yards on three totes. Torell Henderson and Jonathan Wright collected six tackles to lead the South Panola defense with Calib Lyle adding four stops. 

Sophomore defensive back Brylon Key had three tackles, one interception and seven passes-broken up. Willie Butler also had three tackles, one pass broken up and a quarterback sack.