By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

LYMAN — Home-standing Harrison Central gave new head coach Nekema Rich a big win to open up Region 4-7A play Friday night.
The Red Rebels rallied from an early 7-0 deficit to pull out a 20-16 win over St. Martin in the league opener for both teams at Earl Phillips Stadium. Harrison Central snapped a three game losing streak with the comeback win, and now stands at 2-4 overall. The Yellow Jackets dropped to an even 3-3 with the loss.

Trailing 7-3 at halftime, Harrison Central’s Darrion Kirksey hauled in the second half kickoff and rambled some 65-yards for a touchdown to give the Red Rebels not only their first lead of the night at 10-7 but a lead they would never relinquish.
Harrison Central defender Jayden Taylor then recovered a fumble by St. Martin quarterback Kevin Marshall at the Red Rebel one to thwart a threat by the Yellow Jackets.
The Red Rebels followed that up with another score, this one coming on their first offensive possession of the third quarter when quarterback Jorden Anderson hit Kirksey on an 80-yard scoring strike to extend the HCHS lead to 17-7 at the 9:07 mark of the period.

A little over 13 minutes later, St. Martin bounced back to cut the deficit to three at 17-14 on a five-yard touchdown run by running back Seth Crockett.
The teams then traded scores the rest of the way, as HCHS placekicker Parrish Laiche booted a 22-yard field goal with 4:42 to play to make it 20-14 and St. Martin recorded a safety with 1:26 to play when Anderson ran out of the back of his own end zone on a fourth and six play at his own five.
St. Martin opened the game with a quick scoring drive thanks in most part to Crockett. His 34-yard dash set the Yellow Jackets up deep inside HCHS territory, and he then took a hand off from Marshall and scored on a 7-yard run to put SMHS up 7-0 just minutes into the game.

It was some 18 minutes later before the scoreboard lit up again, as Harrison Central placekicker Laiche split the uprights on a 22-yard field goal to send the teams into intermission at 7-3.
That kick was set up thanks to a 33-yard run from Zhakarri McGlothin.
Kirksey’s two big scoring plays play to open the second half then turned the momentum in Harrison Central’s favor.