By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — Resurrection got off to a pretty good start under new head coach David Pilger in his first season at the helm of the Eagles.

Until the last two games, that is.

Resurrection traveled to this Hub City Friday night to open Region 8-1A action and Sacred Heart thumped the Eagles 77-36 in the league-opener for both schools. The win pushes the Crusaders just above the .500 mark at 4-3 overall and drops RCS to 3-5.

The Eagles opened the season with three straight losses before bouncing back on the hardwood with three straight wins entering this past week.

Resurrection then stepped up about as far as it can, as the Eagles lost to Class 7A foe D’Iberville also on the road 70-40 in their previous outing.

Friday night, the Eagles and crusaders battled on even terms through the first period but after that it was all home team.

Simeon Ballard scored five points in the opening frame for RCS, but Sacred Heart’s Raider Williams tallied all nine of his team’s points in the frame including a 3-pointer as the teams headed into the second period tied up at 9-9.

It was in the next quarter when the tide began to steadily turn in favor of SHHS, as Williams dropped in 10 more points including a pair of treys and Luke Davey chipped in eight points for the Crusaders as that duo outscored RCS by themselves 18-13 in the frame and when it was all said and done Sacred Heart out-numbered the Eagles 24-13 to take a 33-22 lead into halftime.

Things just continued to get worse as the second half unfolded for the visitors, as SHHS poured in 28 points in the third frame compared to just six for RCS and the route was in full command at 61-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Chris Posey led the Crusaders with seven points in the third frame, including a trey, while Williams added six including his fourth and final 3-pointer of the night.

Williams drained a game-high 27 points to pace SHHS to the win, including 19 in the first half, while Davey chipped in 15 points and Posey 14 points to the winning cause.

For RCS, Ballard tallied a team-high 13 points while Tyreese Ricardo added seven points.

It was a bit of a down game for the 6-foot-7 junior Ricardo, who was coming off of a double-double performance against the Class 7A Warriors last week with 30 Points, 12 Rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Also, in a 51-26 win over Christian Collegiate Academy earlier this season, Ricardo posted an impressive double-double with 31 points and 20 rebounds while Ballard added 13 Rebounds and four blocks.

In a win just before Thanksgiving over Mobile (Ala.) St. Luke’s Episcopal, Ricardo registered 50 Points and 18 Rebounds including four 3-pointers as he also dropped in 11 for 12 shots from the free-throw line.