By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

POPLARVILLE — Poplarville continued its recent dominance over a county rival Friday night.
The Hornets moved to 4-0 on the season with a solid 41-28 win over visiting Pearl River Central. The Blue Devils fall to 0-4 on the season and have now lost 17 straight games.
Poplarville has won seven straight games over PRC, with the last win by the Blue Devils coming nine years ago in 2015.
Hornet quarterback Sydney Blackmon hooked up with Aiden Berger on an 81-yard scoring strike just two minutes into the game to put PHS up 7-0.

Pearl River Central proved to be a scrappy bunch though, bouncing right back with a long, time-consuming drive capped off by a 1-yard quarterback sneak from Qorday Russell to tie things up at 7-7.
But the Hornets responded immediately when Zack Case sprinted 56-yards for a score to make it 14-7.
Blackmon was back at it minutes later when he tossed a 26-yard toss to Jeremiah Moss for a touchdown to make it 21-7.
PRC responded when Titus Feaster hooked up with Russell on a 22-yard scoring strike and the first half ended up at 21-14.
But the Hornets would hold off the Blue Devils in the second half.

Case broke loose on a 21-yard scoring scamper, only to be countered by a Russell 10-yard touchdown run to make it 27-21.
Two straight scores by Poplarville sealed the deal, though, as Case added his third scoring run of the game to make it 34-21 and then Jacob Lambert completed the scoring for the Hornets with a short 1-yard touchdown plunge to cap Poplarville’s night at 41-21.

Poplarvile travels to West Jones for a big showdown with defending Class 6A state champion West Jones in Soso. next week. The Mustangs clobbered the hornets 42-0 on the road last year on their march to a perfect 14-0 season and the state title.

Meanwhile, PRC’s quest for its first win since mid-way through the 2022 season continues on the road with a trip to McCulloch Field to face Bay High.