By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

GULFPORT — For the second straight season, Gulfport lost at home in the opening round of the Class 7A South State playoffs.

The Admirals tied the game at 17-17 when Dane Sullivan connected with Cooper Crosby for a 69-yard score with 3:44 left on the game clock. But all but 30 ticks of game clock were all the Panthers needed to recover an onside kick and get within field goal range for Samuel Hayden the junior kicker, who nailed it from 28 yards out to give the Panthers a 20-17 win and a second-round playoff game next week at Brandon.

The season ends for GHS and second year head coach Blake Pennock at 7-4, and PHS moves on with an 8-4 mark.

Gulfport entered the final period, down 14-7, and they scored twice in the final period to tie the game, first on a 28-yard Cardenas field goal to pull within 7 of the visitors (17-10), then on the touchdown to tie the game.

Gulfport attempted an onside kick, which was initially called recovered in the Admirals favor. After a game officials’ discussion, it was ruled that the ball was recovered by Petal.

Petal would start at the Gulfport 42-yard line. From there they would only need seven snaps to before bringing Hayden on the field facing fourth-and-two at the Gulfport 7-yard line for the game’s final score and the win.

“Just proud of our kids,” said Petal coach Marcus Boyles. “We told them that it was going to be a 48-minute game. We knew Gulfport. I know Coach Blake. I knew it was going to be a 48-minute game, and it certainly was.

“Our defense has been playing very well for the past three weeks, and they certainly set the tone for us tonight,” said Boyles. “Our defense played lights out tonight.

“So proud of our kicker (Hayden). He missed one last week, but he got two big field goals for us tonight,” Boyles added.

The Petal Panthers got on the scoreboard on their third possession after moving deep into Gulfport territory on each of their first two possessions, but came up short each time.

On their third possession the Panthers put together an 85-yard 11-play drive, culminating with a 1-yard Corey Toole carry for the score.

Eli Causey completed three passes on the drive for gains of 29, 16, and 10 yards. Toole carried seven times for a total of 23 yards and the touchdown.

Petal extended their lead on their second possession of the second half as freshman running back Acely Brown capped an 80-yard drive with a 40-yard scoring run late in the third quarter to put the Panthers up 14-0.

Gulfport got on the scoreboard on their ensuing drive as Sullivan connected with senior wide receiver Tre’Von Deans on a 66-yard pass play with 3:14 left on the third-quarter clock.

Petal drove the field 71 yards on their ensuing possession to the Gulfport 6-yard line. Hayden kicked his first field goal of the game from 28-yards out to give the Panthers a 17-7 lead.

Gulfport would score 10 unanswered points from that point, first the 28-yard Grayson Tegeder field goal then the touchdown to tie the game at 17-17. But the Admirals failed to stop the Panthers on their final drive of the night.

“I’m proud of the way they fought in such a competitive situation,” said Admirals coach Blake Pennock. “Defensively we played considerably well, especially in the first half. Petal’s defense came out and did something they don’t ever do, and we had to take some time and adjust to that. Once we adjusted to that, we were able to move the football.

“They blitzed the house,” Pennock explained Petal’s surprise defense. “They don’t typically do that. They’re more of a coverage type team.

“It was a great high school football game,” said Pennock.

Gulfport’s season came to an end on Friday. Petal will travel to Brandon (10-1) for a second-round playoff game next Friday.