By STAN CALDWELL/Sports Writer

HATTIESBURG — Pearl River Central is taking baby steps this season under first-year head coach John Feaster, and the first significant hurdle is behind them.

The Blue Devils gave it a good try but fell far short against undefeated Hattiesburg 42-0 in Region 3-6A action Friday night at D.I. Patrick Stadium.

PRC dropped to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in region, but remained in contention for a playoff spot in Class 6A. The Tigers (8-0 overall) improved to 2-0 in region in their regular-season home finale, and officially clinched a berth in the postseason.

“We’re getting better each week as the season goes along,” said Feaster, who is at Carriere after stints as head coach at Stone and Moss Point. “The kids fought hard, but Hattiesburg is very good. This looks like their year.”

Indeed it does as the Tigers were brutally efficient in a nearly-perfect first half that saw them score touchdowns on all five of their possessions in the first 24 minutes of play.

It began right from the start. HHS took the opening kickoff and used the ground game to drive 75 yards in 10 plays.

Senior quarterback Deuce Vance ran for 19 yards to kick-start the drive, and senior Demarcus Baker carried six times on the drive for 41 yards, including runs of 10 and 11 yards to set the Tigers up first-and-goal at the Blue Devil 1-yard-line, and he finished the drive from there.

Baker has been mostly used as a defensive back this season, and those would be his only carries of the night, but Hattiesburg coach Tony Vance like the added depth Baker brings to an already deep backfield.

“He’s one of those guys we’ve been counting on,” said Vance. “We’ve kind of been saving him, but we wanted to know what he could do, and we got him ready to go in the backfield, and he’ll help us with our depth back there.”

Indeed, Hattiesburg ran the ball 34 times for 206 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per rush. Vance finished with 83 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns to lead the Tigers on the ground.

PRC’s initial possession went like all the rest round go: a short gain, a loss on a run and an incomplete pass on third down. For the game, the Blue Devils only mustered 62 yards of offense and three first downs.

“I thought we played OK,” said Feaster. “They just don’t give you very much, and we’re pretty young. We just didn’t execute.”

Getting the ball in Blue Devil territory after a 25-yard punt return from junior Anthony Ponce, Hattiesburg needed just seven plays to travel 36 yards for a touchdown.

Vance had a 16-yard run to convert a third down, threw for 9 yards to senor Jackson Sanders and had runs of 6 yards and 1 yard for the score.

Senior Kaden Smith had a sack on Pearl River Central’s second possession to go with a tackle-for-loss on the Blue Devils’ second possession, and another three-and-out gave the Tigers the ball in plus-territory at the PRC 42.

This time it took HHS just four plays to get in the end zone. Junior Toney Scott started the drive with a 15-yard run, then Vance had runs of 3 and 13 yards before sophomore Haedyn Leverette powered in from 6 yards out.

PRC finally got a first down to start the second quarter, and a 51-yard punt by junior Qorday Russell backed the Tigers up at their own 18. But having established the run, Hattiesburg took the air as Vance found a rhythm passing the ball.

The Tigers converted a third down with a 16-yard pass from Vance to junior Tristan Keys, Leverette picked up 6 on a third-and-1 from midfield, then Vance connected with Ponce for 14 yards and Keys for 23 to the Blue Devil 7.

It took three tries, but Vance got it in from 4 yards out to cap the 11-play, 82-yard march and a 28-0 lead.

Hattiesburg finished things off with another three-and-out on defense, then went hurry-up for a nine-play, 60-yard scoring drive. Vance had a 12-yard scamper and a 16-yard pass to Ponce on yet another third-down conversion to the PRC 1, and Vance scored on the next play.

In all, Hattiesburg was 5 for 5 on third down in the first half. Vance finished the night with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 142 yards, with six balls going to Keys for 94 yards.

“That’s the money down,” said Deuce Vance. “That’s our biggest down. We know we have to convert on third down and stay on the field.”

The second half was played with a running clock, but the Hattiesburg junior varsity managed a moment in the spotlight on Senior Night, as sophomore quarterback Shawn Armstrong engineered a four-play, 63-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

Junior Joel Burnside had a 13-yard run, Armstrong had keepers of 8 and 13 yards, then got the touchdown on a 29-yard pass to sophomore J.B. Bryant.

Pearl River Central will finish its regular-season schedule next week at home against West Jones, then the Blue Devils will have a bye week to see how the rest of the region shakes out on the final week of the regular season.

“West Jones has one of he better offensive teams in 6A, so it will be a challenge,” said Feaster. “We’re just going to keep playing hard and where we are after that, as far as the playoffs are concerned.”

Hattiesburg finishes its regular season schedule on the road with games next week at Terry and at West Jones on November 7.