By Myra Bean
For the first time this season, North Panola (4-2) had trouble staying within striking distance as they fell to Calhoun City (5-0) 54-6 on homecoming night.

North Panola crowned Shanbreyata Akins and Bremarkwon Bobo Homecoming Queen and King at halftime, but the game was nothing to celebrate.

Regardless of the outcome, Cougar head coach Derek King said he saw some individual efforts that he liked, but not much team wise that he liked.

“They were what we were expecting,” he said. “If you watch the Ripley game, they scored some points and when they got into position to see the end, they sat on the ball and started pounding it. We knew what was coming.

“We wanted to get the ball first. We won the coin toss and received the ball. We knew we had to strike first but we didn’t. Again, I am failing at this badly trying to figure out how to make us start faster. We changed a lot of things up this week. Now I have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we can start faster,” King added.

At the end of the first quarter, Calhoun City had a 7-0 lead. By halftime, the lead was 35-0 as Calhoun City had an interception and fumble returned for touchdowns.

“Our first two interceptions this year were pick 6’s,” King said during the game. 

At the end of the third quarter, Calhoun City had a comfortable 51-0 lead which included a safety in the scoring.

North Panola was finally able to put together a seven-play, 55-yard drive to score on a six-yard run by DeAnte Sipp with 5:15 left. The two-point attempt fail.

Calhoun City had the final score a 25-yard field goal with 33 seconds remaining in the game.
North Panola was limited to 131 yards of offense, 93 rushing and 38 passing while Calhoun City racked up 432 yards, 402 rushing and 30 passing.

Quarterback Jatavious Farmer completed six of 18 passes for 38 yards and one interception.
Leading rushers were Sipp and Trai Sanders with 36 yards each.

Defensive leaders include Mike Hollins, eight total tackles; Kiron Covington, six total tackles; Virgil Jones, 11 total tackles; Darius Thomas, six total tackles, one for loss, one sack and one interception; and Connor, five total tackles, one for loss.

The Cougars will be home Friday to host Holly Springs in the district opener at 7 p.m.