By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — It had been five years since Pascagoula and Pearl River Central faced off on the football field as the two teams renewed acquaintances Friday night at War Memorial Stadium.
And even though it had been since that year of the Covid pandemic for the last meeting, the Panthers still gave the Blue Devils a sick feeling before the first half was over.
Home-standing PHS pounded PRC unmercifully all over the field in dominating fashion throughout the first two quarters to take a commanding 35-0 into halftime and coast to an easy 42-0 win in a key Region 4-6A contest.
Panther senior standout tailback Amarie Jackson, plagued by injury issues over the past month or so, bounced back in impressive fashion as he ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone to set the tone.

The win on Homecoming night moved PHS to 3-5 overall, but more importantly, 2-1 in the region race. PRC fell to just the opposite, 5-3 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Also, the win was the 600th all-time for Pascagoula in program history. In addition, it was the 100th win at the helm of the Panthers for head coach Lewis Sims who is in the midst of his 15th season as PHS head coach.

“Before the game, we talked about the importance of homecoming and how it brings together the past, then present, and the future of a school<‘ Sims said. “It is a celebration of all things that make our community great. And while some people fail to see the importance of it, we, as football players, are the caretakers of the Pascagoula Panthers legacy. Our guys took that to heart and played their hearts out for our school, our community, and our football brothers.”
While no one knew it at the time, but it seemed only appropriate Jackson gave Pascagoula a lead it would never relinquish with a 43-yard scoring scamper mid-way through the first period.

It was a harbinger of things to come, as the Panthers completely dominated the second quarter with 28 more points to head into halftime with that aforementioned 35-0 lead.
Pascagoula quarterback/linebacker Jarrd Loper got the second stanza scoring storm started with a 37-yard touchdown toss to Braylan Belcher to double up the PHS advantage to 14-0 less than a minute into the next period.
Then, it was Jackson’s turn again as he dashed 67-yards on a scoring run to make it 21-0 with just over eight minutes to play before intermission.
On the next PHS possession, Jackson was right back at it as he ended that drive with a 27-yard touchdown run and it was 28-0 home team at the 2:27 mark.

In complete control at that point, the Panthers got the ball back and Loper ended the first half with a 35-yard scoring strike to D’Lass Nunnery with just :24 seconds to play.
Freshman place-kicker Miles Sprague’s fifth successful extra point of the night made it 35-0 PHS and set the running clock in place to open the third quarter.
Pascagoula received the second half kickoff, and Panther running back Sean Norvell decided it was his time to get into the scoring action as he ran 44-yards for a touchdown to make it 42-0.
The 42 points was the most for PHS against PRC ever, eclipsing the mark set in a 37-6 Panther win the last time the two teams met five years ago.