By STAN CALDWELL/Sports Writer

HATTIESBURG — With their starting quarterback on the bench nursing an injury, George County wasn’t playing with a full deck against undefeated Hattiesburg.

But the Rebels gave the Tigers all they wanted before running out of momentum in the fourth quarter, dropping a 48-21 decision in non-region action Friday night at D.I. Patrick Stadium.

The Rebels head into Region 4-6A play next week all even at 3-3 overall; while unbeaten Hattiesburg gets a bye week next Friday before jumping into play in Region 3-6A. The Tigers are now 6-0.

GCHS coach James Ray said he chose to keep senior Deuce Knight out of action for a third consecutive game as he recovers from a pulled hamstring suffered Sept. 13 against Biloxi. A wet field after steady rains all afternoon Friday made the decision easy.

“A wet field like this, we didn’t want to take a chance on him slipping and re-injuring that leg,” Ray said. “This game doesn’t mean anything. I mean, we want to win, right? But we’ve got region starting next week, and I didn’t want to take a chance with him.”

Sophomore Wyatt Spidahl got the start for the Rebels and showed he might just become Knight’s heir apparent after a solid effort against one best defenses in the state. Spidahl completed 10 of 16 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns.

“Wyatt’s going to be a great player,” said Ray. “He’s just a sophomore, but he showed a lot of poise out there.”

The Rebels served notice early that they weren’t just going to go through the motions. After stopping the Tigers on a three-and-out, Spidahl’s first pass of the game, on third-and-9 went for a 79-yard scoring play to junior Derrick McNair.

“It helped scoring on that first drive,” said Spidahl. “That gave our guys some confidence. It was just knowing you’ve got to have it on third and fourth down.”

Hattiesburg answered right back with a seven-ply, 69-yard drives, the final 34 yards coming on a pass from senior Deuce Vance to junior Tristan Keys for a 7-7 tie.

And that’s the moment things started going south for George County. 

On the ensuing kickoff, McNair was stripped of the ball, and senior Mckii Rogers scooped up the fumble at the 23-yard line and dashed untouched to the end zone for a touchdown that put the Tigers ahead for good.

Indeed, the Rebels were plagued by turnovers, as exactly half of the Tigers’ points came off turnovers.

The next one also resulted in points for Hattiesburg. George County got the ball in good field position after an odd kickoff that went out of bounds at the Tiger 28.

Three plays resulted in 6 yards, and a 39-yard field goal attempt was blocked, with junior Anthony Ponce picking up the block and racing 65 yards for a score. A bad snap prevented a PAT kick, but just like that, Hattiesburg had a 20-7 lead.

And that lead grew on the next possession, when a high snap on a fourth-down punt attempt rolled through the end zone for a safety.

“Coach (Marcus) Thornton does a great job with our special teams,” said Hattiesburg coach Tony Vance. “Those guys buy into the importance of special teams. Getting 16 points on special teams really set the tone early for us.”

The Tigers used almost five minutes off the clock after the free kick, but the Rebels got a fourth-down stop at the GCHS 22.

George County narrowed the margin late in the second quarter on a 34-yard pass from Spidahl to senior Brenn Moody.

The Tigers again answered the call with a brisk four-play, 55-yard drive, with Vance connecting with senior Tyree Barnett for a 32-yard touchdown pass to give Hattiesburg a 28-14 halftime lead.

Getting the ball to start the second half, the Rebels embarked on their best drive of the game, a 68-yard march that used eight plays, the score coming on a 34-yard pass from Spidahl to McNair.

“I kind of knew all week that I was probably going to start,” said Spidahl. “I was up in the air whether Deuce would get cleared or not, but with the rain, it was best to keep him out.”

McNair had a big night for George County, with four catches for 121 yards and two scores.

George County was still in the game, and driving for a potential tying score heading into the fourth quarter, when the turnover bug bit the Rebels one last time.

Facing a third-and-5 at the Hattiesburg 43, Spidahl fumbled a low snap, and senior defensive end Kaden Smith picked up the loose ball at midfield and rumbled to the Rebel 4-yard-line before being tackled.

It took three plays, but the Tigers got the ball in the end zone on a 5-yard pass from Vance to Keys. The 6-foot-3 Keys finished with four receptions for 114 yards and three touchdowns, and he carried a fake punt for a 33-yard run.

““Our defense played their butts off, but we gave up 17 (points) on special teams,” said Ray. “Some fumbles down here game them good field position, but I couldn’t be prouder of our defense.”

Offensively, the Rebels never established running game, netting just 15 yards on the ground, although that total included the 32-yard loss on the safety.

Hattiesburg tacked on two more touchdowns in the final period, on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Vance to Keys, and a 9-yard run by junior Joel Burnside.

George County now turns its attention to its region schedule, beginning Friday at Long Beach, and Ray is already thinking about a rematch with Hattiesburg.

“We’re going to see this team again, and we’re going to be full strength,” Ray said. “So, I think we’re going to be all right.”