By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

PASS CHRISTIAN — Greene County (5-1, 1-0, district) scored twice in the fourth quarter to get by a tough Pass Christian (3-3, 0-1, district) team 33-25 in the district opener for both teams on Friday.

The Pirates scored on a 61-yard Coby King keeper early in the period to take the lead at 26-25 after a failed 2-point conversion attempt. That scoring possession followed a 7-play Pirates’ drive that ended with the ball going back to Greene County at their own 16-yard line.

Neither team would score on their next possessions, but Pass Christian would get an opportunity with twenty-five seconds on the game clock at their own 11-yard line. Greene County would intercept the Pirates and score on a pick-6 to close out the game’s scoring.

“I think overall, probably the best team performance all year long,” said Greene County coach Michael King. “That big run there late in the game, and also the hard yards, the four yards, the six yards, the 7-yard gains, that was crucial for us.”

Greene County trailed going into the fourth quarter, trailing 25-20, as the Pirates would score twice in the third period. The Pirates scored on a 10-yard run to get their first lead of the game at 19-14 after Jude Necaise’s PAT kick.

Pass Christian’s defense would hold Greene County to four snaps on their ensuing possession, and the Wildcats would go for it on fourth down. The Pirates would get their third interception of the night.

The Wildcats’ defense would pressure Pass Christian quarterback Paris Trivillion on the first snap, almost sacking him, but forced a fumble and the Wildcats returned the fumble to regain the lead at 20-19 after their 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Pass Christian didn’t waste much time to regain the lead as they scored on the third snap of their ensuing possession as Trivillion scored on a 58-yard keeper to give Pass a 25-20 lead with just over seven minutes remaining on third quarter clock. That score would close out the Pirates’ scoring.

The two teams were pretty even in the first half as both teams scored two touchdowns. Both teams scored on their opening possessions of the game, and both teams converted key fourth down plays on their opening drives. Greene County needing 7, got 18 on a King pass. Two plays later he connected for a 31-yard scoring toss.

On the Pirate’s first possession, they went 70 yards on 15 plays, scoring on fourth-and-inches on a 2-yard Jaquez Alexander carry. The PAT kick attempt was blocked, and Greene County led 7-6.

The Pirates recovered a Wildcats fumble on the second play of their ensuing possession at their own 41-yard line, but the Pirates failed to capitalize as they would advance the ball to the visitors’ 27-yard line, and turned the ball over on downs.

Midway through the second quarter, the Pirates would advance the ball to the Greene County 33-yard line for a first down, but from there they went backwards, including a 1-yard loss on first down, a holding penalty to back them up 10 more yards, and an unsportsmanlike penalty that backed them up 15 more yards, forcing a fourth-and-36 at their own 46-yard line. 

That possession was made worse by a bobbled snap by the punter which was fumbled, which gave Greene County excellent field position at the Pass 34-yard line. Greene County extended their lead to 14-6 on the fifth snap with a 2-yard King keeper with 1:50 left on the second quarter clock.

Pass showed some resilience on their ensuing possession as Trivillion completed three passes, including connecting with Alexander on a fourth down pass for 29 yards to the Greene County 16-yard line with 20 ticks remaining on the second quarter clock.

Trivillion was sacked on the next play, but as time expired, he connected with Amarie James from 23 yards out to put the Pirates within 2 points of the Wildcats after the failed 2-point conversion attempt.

The Pirates travel to Poplarville next Friday. Greene County has a bye week next Friday, and will host Bay High in two weeks.