By Myra Bean
For the third straight season, the North Panola Cougars will play in the 3A playoffs.
Friday, they will travel to Aberdeen (8-3 overall, 4-1 district), the number two team in 4-3A. Aberdeen Bulldogs’ lone district loss was to district champion Louisville on October 17.
North Panola (7-4, 3-2) secured their placement in 3A with a 44-19 win over Independence Friday night.

The Independence Wildcats showed how improved of a team they were, playing with confidence and a lot of power, especially in the first half. At halftime, North Panola had a slim 14-7 lead. 
North Panola honored its seniors and earlier quarterback Jatavious Farmer scored the touchdown on a seven-yard run with 1:06 left in the first quarter. Fellow senior teammate Willie Hibbler carried in the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead.

The Cougars started on Independence’s 27-yard line due to a bad snap on a punt. The touchdown capped a three-play, 27-yard drive.

Independence had the ball going into the second quarter. After a sack by Cougar junior Antwoyne Rhodes, which resulted in a nine-yard loss and brought up second down and 16, Independence scored on a 26-yard run by senior fullback Tyler Bobo. Senior kicker Jacob Scott kicked the PAT (point after touchdown) to cut the lead 8-7 at the 11:02 mark of the second quarter.

The run capped a five-play, 60-yard drive which was also aided by a 29-yard run by sophomore running back Zykeris Mosley.

North Panola’s next possession was wrought with penalties. The drive covered 19 plays and 6:08 minutes and included six flags, two for Independence and four for the Cougars. North Panola had two holds, illegal procedure and an illegal shift. Independence had an offside and pass interference penalties.

The Cougars capped the 13-play, 74-yard drive on an 11-yard reception by Ankeyvias Harris from Farmer with 4:46 left in the half. The two-point attempt failed giving the Cougars a 14-7 halftime lead.

There was only one score in the third quarter, an 18-yard pass to senior Cougar Robert Oliver from Farmer to cap a 10-play, 56-yard drive with 7:24 left. Senior athlete Darius Thomas caught the two-point pass from Hibbler for the 22-7 lead.

The touchdown capitalized on a fumble recovery.

The fourth quarter saw five touchdowns between the teams. North Panola took a 30-7 lead on a seven-yard run by Farmer with 8:29 left. Oliver took in the two-point conversion.

The touchdown capped a three-play five-yard drive. The Cougars got the ball on the Wildcat five as a fake punt went awry. The Cougars were moved back to the 18 on a holding penalty.

On a kickoff return, Independence scored with 8:13 left in the game. Senior Johnathan Jackson scored on the 78-yard return but the two-point attempt failed and the score stood 30-13 Cougars.

With just a couple of minutes gone, the Cougars’ Oliver scored on a 17-yard pass from Farmer to cap a seven-play, 54-yard drive. Farmer took in the two-point conversion for the 38-13 lead.
Independence put together a six-play, 89-yard drive to score on a four-yard run by Bobo but the PAT failed to cut the Cougar lead 38-19.

The Cougars’ last score was a two-yard run by Bishop with 41 second remaining in the game to cap a four-play, 51-yard drive. The two-point attempt failed. The drive was aided by a 17-yard run by senior Justin Connor and 14 and seven yard runs by freshman Marvin Adams.

North Panola racked up 572 total yards with 459 rushing and 113 passing. Independence was limited to 222 total yards with 200 rushing and 22 passing.

Farmer completed five of 15 pass attempts for 107 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. Hibbler completed both of his pass attempts for 14 yards and one touchdown.
Farmer was the leading rusher with 138 yards on 19 attempts and two touchdowns. Hibbler had 76 yards rushing on eight carries. Also rushers were Connor, 90 yards, 13 carries; DeAnte Sipp, 58 yards and seven carries; Marvin Adams, 21 yards, two carries; Thomas, 17 yards, two carries; Mike Hollins, 13 yards, one carry; Vondeddrick Hunt, five yards, one carry; Virgil Jones, who left the game with an ankle injury, three yards, one carry; and Bishop, two yards, one carry, one touchdown.

Oliver was the leading receiver with 93 yards on four catches and two touchdowns. Harris had one catch for an 11-yard touchdown. Thomas had three catches for six yards.