By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Pass Christian took a big step towards winning its first-ever region title on the football field Friday night.
The visiting Pirates went on the road to Leakesville and pulled out a key 28-14 win in Region 8-4A play over Greene County at Johnny Ainsworth Stadium.
And, even though the contest was the league opener for both teams the significance of the win can’t be downplayed. The Pirates now just need to get past Forrest County AHS at home this week and then Moss Point and Bay High, who are a combined 1-10 between them, to take the title.
It took the Aggies five overtimes to slip past MPHS 6-0 Friday night.
Pass Christian and Greene County were all tied up at 14-14 at halftime, but the Pirates scored two more times in the second half and then the defense pitched a shutout to pull out the win.

Ryland Shoulders and Ceicil Lizana each had short scoring runs for PCHS in the second half.
Pirate quarterback Paris Trivillion ran for 185 yards and threw for 100 yards more as well as accounting for both first half touchdowns for PCHS as he ran for one and threw a scoring pass to Dwight Thomas for the other.
Pass Christian is now 5-1 overall and the Wildcats, who are without five-star wide out Jace Matthews because of an injury, drop to 4-2.

Also, the main reason that Pass Christian is not playing for its second region title ever as well as second in the past three seasons is because that two years ago despite recording one of the best seasons in school history in 2023 perennial state power Poplarville was in Region 8-4A and derailed the Pirates’ plans with a 31-23 win in week two of league play.
Poplarville went on to win the Region 8-4A crown that year and last season won the first state football championship in program history.

However, this season, the Horners were moved back to Region 7-4A and they didn’t get off to a very good start in league play Friday night.
Poplarville fell to McComb on the road 35-34 in the final minute of play in the region opener for both teams. The Hornets drop to 3-3 overall on the year. The win for the Tigers earned them a measure of revenge as this was a rematch from the Class 4A South State playoffs last season in which Poplarville thumped McComb 42-21.
Poplarville junior running back Ty Keys ran for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.