By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

POPLARVILLE — Pass Christian enjoyed yet another 20-win season under the direction of veteran head coach Buddy Kennedy this season, and among that number was eight straight wins in Region 8-4a play.
That mark gave the Pirates the top seed on the boys’ side of the bracket for the region tournament, which resumes Thursday at Poplarville High School.
Pass Christian opens play in the event against long-time rival Bay High at 5:30 p.m. The Pirates stand 20-8 overall, and had a 12-game win streak snapped in its final regular season game late last week with a close 49-48 road loss to powerful Sumrall.
“Before we started district play we wrote down several team goals,” Kennedy, who has now led the Pirates to a 20-win season in 20 of his 29 years at the helm at PCHS, said. “We wanted to win 20-plus games, go 8-0 in the district and claim the number one seed. Also, to win the district tournament, advance to Jackson and compete for a state title. We’ve reached some of those goals. We’re still going after the rest of them.”

In their last outing, Sumrall senior Damorris Merrick got free for an uncontested layup with 36.8 seconds left in the game to put Sumrall ahead for good, and the Bobcats got a steal in the lane with 10 seconds left to thwart Pass Christian’s final bid for a game-winning shot.
After Kennedy used his final time out to draw up a play, the Pirates worked the ball around looking for their chance, but the Bobcats got a hand on the ball and snatched it away.
Pass still had four fouls to give before Sumrall went to the line and used one of them with 5.0 seconds left, but were unable to get a steal on the inbounds play and the Bobcats dribbled out the remaining seconds to secure the win.

The Bay High Tigers moved on with a 42-40 win over home-standing Poplarville Tuesday on the opening day of action in the tourney.
Anthony Robinson tallied a game-high 24 points for fourth-seed Bay High in the elimination contest, while Nemo Sowers added seven points and Noah Smith had seven points. Sowders and Smith each had six rebounds apiece as well in the winning effort.

Jason Smith tallied 22 points for the Hornets, and Dorrion Travis had nine points as PHS finished the season win-less at 0-26.
The other semifinal boys’ game in the Region 8-4A Tournament will pit second-seed Moss Point against third-seed Greene County at 7 p.m.
Winners from the semifinal round advance on to Friday night’s title tilts, while the losing teams are back in action on Friday afternoon playing for third seeds.
Also, the winners of the semifinal round games clinch home playoff games in the opening round of the state playoffs, while the teams playing in consolation contests automatically hit the road to start the playoffs.