By Maurice Singleton/Sports Writer

BAY ST. LOUIS — The Moss Point Tigers (2-4, 1-1) scored two second half touchdowns in their 14-9 win over the Bay High Tigers (0-6, 0-1) on Thursday night in a key Region 8-4A game.

After a scoreless first half, Moss Point opened the second half with an eighty-yard 11-play drive to get them going. Senior running back Amarion Scott carried on six of the eleven snaps for runs of 4, 13, 1, 9, 9 and an 8-yard touchdown carry to cap the drive. The point-after-kick was blocked, giving the visitors a 6-0 lead midway through the quarter.

Bay High would come up with the next two scores, first on a Nathan Stevens 28-yard field goal with 2:28 left in the third quarter to pull within 3 (6-3). Bay High’s defense would make a big play on Moss Point’s ensuing possession as Dwight Wilde would tally an interception. Bay would capitalize on the fifth play after the interception as freshman quarterback Benton Ladner connected with freshman wide receiver De’Quine Broussard for a 53-yard pass play to give Bay High a 9-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Moss Point would answer with a 65-yard, 9-play drive to pull ahead for good as once again. Scott would be featured, carrying on seven of those snaps for runs of 12, 5, 7, 4, 10, 4 and another 8-yard touchdown carry. He also carried for the 2-point conversion to close out the game’s scoring.

“We were moving the ball well in the first half, but we just couldn’t finish,” said Moss Point head coach Derrick Jenkins. “In the opening drive of the second half, we actually finished a drive. Tonight, we fought hard,” said Jenkins. “I told them that this game was up for grabs. Somebody’s got to win; just let it be us.”

Moss Point had found themselves in the red zone twice earlier in the game, but they failed to put points on the board due to a turnover and Bay High stopping them on fourth down.

Bay High gave themselves a chance with a defensive stop on fourth down, denying the visitors a first down when they were facing fourth-and-2.

With 2:15 left to go in the game, Bay High would advance the ball from their own 40-yard line to the visitors 44 on a 6-yard Benton Ladner keeper. But that was as close as Bay would get, as Ladner would throw two passes from that point, the first an incompletion and the second an interception on a 50-50 ball that ended Bay High’s chances.

“I thought we played well for the most part,” said Bay High head coach Katlan French. “This team has battled through a lot of injuries. But we were in the game. We had a lot of miscues. We had some missed opportunities. But I think our defense played great all game. I thought our offense hung in there. We had some young guys out there learning on the fly. It starts right now, but it’ll help us in the future.”

Bay High resumes region play on the road at Greene County next Friday. Moss Point hosts undefeated 4A Region 8 leader Pass High (7-0, 2-0) next Friday.