By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

Both Pascagoula and Hancock secured Class 6A South State playoff berths in Region 4-6A action Friday night.
The Panthers sealed at least the third seed in the region race with a 28-20 come-from-behind win over visiting West Harrison at War Memorial Stadium.
The Hurricanes, which are now assured of missing the state playoffs for the 16th straight season since they first fielded a football team in 2009, jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on a 7-yard scoring run by Jordan Stapleton in the first quarter.

Pascagoula bounced back before the end of the opening frame with a 25-yard scoring scamper by junior tailback Amarie Jackson to knot things up at 7-7.
The teams also traded scores in the second stanza on touchdowns by the same two players, as Stapleton scored on a 3-yard run and Jackson also scored on a 3-yard run to send the teams into halftime tied up at 14-14
But Pascagoula senior quarterback Silas Corer, a Southern Miss commit, gave the Panthers a push they needed when he tossed a pair of scoring strikes in the third frame to double the PHS lead to 28-14 and secure the trip to the postseason for his squad.

Corder first found freshman wide out Braylyn Belcher on a 25-yard touchdown toss and then hooked up with Darrius Carter on a 37-yard scoring pass. Mason Kramer’s fourth extra point of the game made it 28-14 entering the final period.
The Hurricanes got a 1-yard touchdown plunge from Trey Harris in the fourth frame to complete the scoring.

Meanwhile, in Long Beach, visiting Hancock Hawks swooped in and stole a 21-14 victory from the Long Beach Bearcats on Friday night. 
Long Beach held a 14-3 advantage over Hancock at halftime thanks to two touchdowns runs by Junior Brown for two and one yards.
Hancock’s only points of the half came on a 21-yard field goal by Sam Powell.

The tide switched to the Hawks in the second half as the swarming Hawk defense put a plug in the Bearcats’ running game.
Hancock opened their second half with a 26-yard field goal by Powell that made the score 14-6.
Then, the Hawks scored on a two-yard run by Alex Vincent with a two-point conversion on a pass from Kaison Koennen to Gabe Fricke to make the score 14-14.
On a fourth and four situation from the Long Beach 34-yard line, Koennen connected with a wide open and all alone Julyan Santee on a dump pass who went the distance for the touchdown with 1:24 to play. Powell’s PAT made the final score 21-14. 
The Bearcats were eliminated from the playoff picture while Hancock secured the fourth seed.