Some things never change.
Much like a handful of their regular season games, the Hattiesburg Tigers picked up a dominant win Friday night. This one happened to come in their Class 5A playoff opener against South Jones.
The final score was 50-0, and that was with a running clock for much of the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got a tremendous team and some great players on our team,” Hattiesburg head coach Tony Vance said. “When they make up their mind to play the way they’re supposed to play, Hattiesburg Tiger football, they’re capable of getting a victory.”
There’s getting a victory and there’s also dominating from start to finish. This one felt like the latter, even though the Tigers turned the ball over a couple of times in the first half.
“Two early turnovers kind of took the wind out of our sails,” Vance said.
Luckily for Vance and company, the Tiger defense stepped up and showed out, holding the Braves’ offense, which was averaging 36 points a game coming in, to zilch on the night. Linebacker William Robinson put a bow on the performance with a defensive touchdown late in the third quarter.
“I thought they [The defense] played outstanding tonight. I really did,” Vance said. “That’s a dangerous football team, and we shut down a good quarterback and contained a good running back. Their best receiver, I don’t even know if he had a catch.”
“Overall, cannot say enough about our defensive effort tonight.”
Despite the early turnovers, Hattiesburg’s offense came to life sooner rather than later. Jarod Conner threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns, while adding two rushing scores. Fabian Franklin ran for 109 yards and a touchdown. Dandre Humbles caught three passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.
As noteworthy as those performances were, none might top that of Kendyl Terrell’s. Terrell, known well for her kicking, caught a two-point conversion from Raykell Ducksworth in the third quarter. Vance, who believes Terrell is the state’s first female football player to accomplish that, broke down the play after the game.
“It wasn’t anything we called,” Vance explained. “I’ve always told her from day one when she came out, ‘If there’s ever a bad snap, Kendyl, you run left and get out of the way’. That’s what she did.”
“It was a high snap, and the kicker did a great job going up and getting it. There wasn’t anybody open, so he had the presence of mind to throw it back to her. She was like, ‘Look what I found’. She’s a great athlete and made a play.”
Terrell and the Tigers improved to 12-0 with the win. They will hit the road next Friday night to take on Stone in the second round of the 5A playoffs.
On the other side, South Jones ends their season at 8-5. The Braves were led in Friday’s game by running back Ricky Boleware, who finished with 61 rushing yards on 17 carries. Quarterback John Mitchell went 5 of 26 for 104 yards. Three catches and 80 of those yards went to wide receiver Ja’vharian Cooley.
