By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

D’IBERVILLE — D’Iberville (4-0) scored on consecutive possessions in the first half to take a 14-7 lead over Pascagoula (1-3) on Friday, and they wouldn’t surrender the lead on their way to a 35-14 win.

Pascagoula drove the ball 83 yards on their opening possession, aided by a pass interference call on the first play of the game from scrimmage. Jarrad Loper, Jr., in his first start at quarterback, capped the drive with a 4-yard carry for the score.

D’Iberville would answer with a 7-play drive, taking advantage of a short pop-up kick by Pascagoula, fielding it at their own 41-yard line. Junior quarterback Jordan Walley would pick up 21 yards on third down to get the ball in Panthers’ territory at their 36-yard line. And four plays later, Jaylen Johnson would carry it in for the score from 6 yards out.

The Panthers were forced to punt after picking up a single first down on their ensuing possession. But the punt didn’t go far – 3 yards – once again giving the Warriors excellent field position, this time at the Pascagoula 47-yard line.

The Warriors rushed the ball eight times on 8 snaps with Caleb Washington capping the drive with a 6-yard carry and the touchdown, putting the Warriors up 14-7 with just over nine minutes to play in the second quarter.

The Warriors looked in control as their defense denied the Panthers a first down on two possessions from there before halftime.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Warriors would capitalize on a critical Panthers’ mistake late in the second quarter, as the visitors were called for a roughing-the-passer penalty as the Warriors faced a third down-and-13 for a first down.

D’Iberville moved the ball 55 yards with about three minutes to go before halftime as Walley led the Warriors, carrying four of the 13 snaps, capping the drive with a one-yard score to put the Warriors up 21-7 right before halftime.

“I thought they played hard,” said Warriors coach Josh Ladner. “I thought we could’ve been a little cleaner in certain situations. I was proud of our kids. They rose up and made plays when they had to. I’m proud of the way they played.

“This is been a long-time coming,” Ladner said of the Warriors 4-0 record to start the season. “The process takes time to win in high school football. Things don’t happen as fast as we like. We’re starting to reap a little bit of what we’ve sewn over the years.”

The Warriors came out in the second half with a good drive starting at their own 41-yard line following a successful onside kick recovery. But the drive would end on an unsuccessful 41-yard field goal attempt.

Pascagoula would respond on their ensuing possession as Loper would connect with Tylan Wilson for a 42-yard scoring toss in the end zone. The Warriors’ defender made a play on the ball, but the ball would drop in the hands of Wilson on the ground in the end zone. The Panthers trailed 21-14.

The Warriors would get two fourth quarter scores, both 1-yard Walley keepers, to close out the game’s scoring.

“We came out a little flat, flatter than I like to see us,” said Pascagoula coach Lewis Sims. “Credit that to D’berville. They came out for their homecoming with their hair on fire.

“When you play the four playoff teams from 7A last year, it’s really hard. We have to take this as a learning experience and grow from it.”

The Panthers play another 7A team next Friday as they play Gulfport at home. D’Iberville travels to Harrison Central next Friday.