By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — The drought is over. Poplarville has won it’s first ever state championship on the football field.
The Hornets overcame an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out a heart-stopping 29-28 win over perennial state power Louisville here at M.M. Roberts Stadium early Saturday night in the Class 4A state championship.
“Finally!” veteran Poplarvile head coach Jay Beech exclaimed amidst a jubilant celebration on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. “This is such a resilient team, and they have been that way all year long. A lot of people left us for dead when we lost to Greene County to end the regular season, but here we are. State champions.”

Poplarville overcame a stretch of four losses in the past eight years in the title tilt from 2016-2020. Louisville, the two-time defending Class 4A state champions, was vying for its 13th overall state championship.
But the third time facing the Wildcats for the Hornets in the state championship proved to be the charm, after LHS had beaten PHS twice before by a total span of six points.
Trailing 22-14 entering the fourth period, Hornet running back Ty Keys cut the deficit to 22-20 with a 27-yard touchdown run with 7:40 left in the period. An ensuing two-point conversion was good, tying the contest up at 22-22.
Poplarville then recovered an on-sides kick, setting up shop at mid-field.

The Hornets struck again quickly as running back Nick Miller plunged in with a 1-yard touchdown run giving the Hornets an almost shocking 29-22 lead over Louisville with 5:22 remaining.
But the Wildcats responded, as Xavier Hunt hit Ayden Coleman on a 6-yard touchdown pass for Louisville. Louisville went for two and the win, but the pass was incomplete resulting in the final count as PHS led 29-28 with 1:23 left.
Hornet tight end Jeremiah Moss recovered the ensuing on-sides kick to seal the win.
Poplarville struck first on the opening drive of the game as on a fourth down and goal situation from the LHS 20 Hornet quarterback Sydney Sydney Blackmon hit running back Zack Case on a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Hornets up with 7:45 left in the opening period.

After forcing the Wildcats to punt, PHS was right back at it driving into LHS territory but Wildcat defender Khailin Macon picked off a Blackmon pass at his own 15 to end the threat.
Louisville responded two plays later when Zaiden Jernigan sprinted 96 yards for a touchdown run. Jernigan then kept for the two-point conversion to make it Louisville 8, Poplarville 7.
The Wildcats extended their lead minutes later when Hunt found Xzarion Haynes on a 19-yard touchdown pass to put Louisville up 15-7 with 3:28 left in the second quarter.
But Poplarville answered before halftime when Keys broke loose with an 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the ensuing kick. Louisville took that 15-14 lead into intermission.
The Wildcats once again extended their lead as the third quarter unfolded when Jernigan scored on a 26-yard touchdown run. Louisville led Poplarville 22-14 with 5:01 left in third frame setting up the climactic and historic ending.