By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — In a game billed as a battle between two of the top quarterbacks in the state, it was a running back who provided the biggest plays.
Pascagoula junior tailback Amarie Jackson accounted for three touchdowns including two big one ones in key situations in leading the visiting Panthers to a resounding 49-13 win over George County in a big Region 4-6A showdown at Gill-Martin Stadium Friday night.

With the win, Jackson assured that his Panther teammates one grade ahead of him they would get to play at least one game in the state playoffs at home in War Memorial Stadium before they wrapped up their playing careers in a month or so. The decision allows the Panthers to host an opening round game in the upcoming Class 6 South State Playoffs for the first time since 2020.

“Complete team win,” Pascagoula head coach Lewis Sims said. “We executed in all three phases. The offense took advantage of their opportunities, the defense prevented big plays and created turnovers. And special teams kept them off balance and created scoring opportunities.”
With Pascagoula holding just a 14-7 lead in the waning moments of the first half, Jackson took in a short sky kick and sprinted untouched down the home team sidelines to give his Panthers a 21-7 lead at halftime.
Then, on the first possession of the second half, Jackson raced 24-yards on a scoring scamper to extend the PHS advantage to 28-7.
The visiting Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 advantage just over 12 minutes into the game.

Pascagoula middle linebacker Jarad Loper recovered a Rebel fumble at the GCHS 43 mid-way through the first period, and three plays later after a 38-yard dash to the one-yard line by Jackson Loper plunged in for the touchdown to make it 7-0.
On the first play of the second stanza, Pascagoula produced its second short scoring run of the game when Sean Norvell plowed in from the one as well to make it 14-0.
George County finally got on the scoreboard with :31 seconds to play in the first half when quarterback Deuce Knight tumbled over the goal line from 3-yards out to cut the deficit in half at 14-7.
Then, Jackson’s heroics kicked in to put Pascagoula in control.

After Jackson’s pair of ensuing scores, Panther senior signal-caller Silas Corder then got in on the scoring act as he hit Darrius Carter on a 34-yard scoring strike to make it 35-7 heading into the fourth period.
Knight and Jackson then traded touchdown runs early in the fourth frame but the die had been cast.

Corder added a 56-yard touchdown toss to Jahkobian Maye late in the game.

Jackson finished with 167 yards rushing for PHS.
Knight was selected play in the prestigious Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Football Classic while Corder was picked for the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic.