Prep Football: North pounds the South 42-14 Saturday in annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game
Sharroid Whitehead of Ocean Springs breaks into open space for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director GULFPORT — The North dominated the South from start to finish Saturday afternoon in the 77th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic. The North team jumped out to a quick and commanding 28-0 first half lead and never trailed en route to a 42-14 win here at historic Milner Stadium. The loss was the second straight for the North in this annual affair, after it broke a four game South winning streak last season.
Sharroid Whitehead of Ocean Springs looks for some running room for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Parker Nettles of Gulfport looks for an open target for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Clyde Peters of Columbia makes a tackle for the South Saturday on a North ball-carrier in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Sharroid Whitehead of Ocean Springs breaks free on a touchdown run for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
The point total was the most by the North in 45 years, since a 41-0 win over the South in 1980. The home-field advantage for Gulfport quarterback Parker Nettles wasn’t kind early, as North corner back Kingston Gregory of Oxford stepped in front of a Nettles pass on the opening possession of the game and raced 68-yards with a pick six for a touchdown. The North had a 7-0 lead with it would never relinquish with 9:40 left in the first quarter. “I knew the down and distance he (quarterback) held on to it a little too long,” Gregory said. “I just broke on it and was able to get it and run.” North running back Marcus Flowers of Charleston) doubled the advantage up at 14-0 with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:46 left in opening frame. The North added to its lead on the first play of the second quarter, as quarterback King White of Germantown hit Lakendrick Potts of East Webster with a 47-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-0 just :13 seconds into the new period.
Kaison Koenenn of Hancock looks for running room for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Sharroid Whitehead of Ocean Springs takes a hand off from Parker Nettles of Gulfport for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Javen Bolden of Picayune pursues the North quarterback for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Cohn Myers of Ocean Springs looks to make a block for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
Five minutes later, Mike Johnson of Germantown threw a 7-yard scoring strike to Dagarrious Clifton of Shannon on a reverse handoff pass and it was 28-0.
The South finally got on the board thanks to a “Southern Six” product, as Sharriod Whitehead of Ocean Springs score on a 4-yard touchdown run with 4:52 left in the first half. But the North wasn’t finished, as White found Jaiden Tucker of Holmes County Central with a 22-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-7 at intermission.
Gulfport quaarterback Parker Nettles slides in for a gain for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Mike Johnson of Germantown breaks free for the North Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Cephus Pruitt, Jr., of Perry Central breaks into open space for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Punter Payton Williams of Ocean Springs takes aim on a kick for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
Then, mid-way through the third frame, the South muffed a punt and Patrick Crump scooped the ball up for the North and returned it 10 yards to set the running clock in motion. Whitehead was named the Most Valuable Player for the South squad and White earned it for the winning North team.
“It means a lot,” Whitehead said. “I put in a lot of hard work back at Ocean Springs. Everybody wants to win and everybody wants to compete. I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
Sharroid Whitehead of Ocean Springs breaks free down the home sidelines for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Jaquan Thompson of Biloxi surveys the situation defensively for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Yusef Colding of St. Martin peers in on the North offense for the South Saturday in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
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