By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

CARRIERE — Pearl River Central celebrated “Senior Night” Friday by staying out of the retirement home.

The home-standing Blue Devils knocked off Pascagoula in a defensive battle 17-7 to stay alive in the Region 4-6A race here at Hendrix Stadium on the PRC campus.

The win was the first for PRC in league play, and moves the Blue Devils to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in the region race. Meanwhile, the Panthers are also now 1-2 and stand 3-5 overall after losing five of their last six games.

The Blue Devils got off to a 17-0 first half lead and held on for the all-important win.

PRC took a lead it would never relinquish midway through the opening quarter when quarterback Titus Feaster found Terrel Wilkes on a 4th-and-15 situation at the Pascagoula 30 for a touchdown to make it 7-0.

Then, early in the second period, Feaster kept on a 3-yard sneak for a score to double up the lead at 14-0 with 10:34 left until halftime.

That score was set up when PRC defender Brayden Fowler recovered a PHS fumble near mid-field.

The home team wasn’t done, as PRC placekicker Bryce Tarter, who drilled the first two extra points, also added a 29-yard field goal in the final minute of the first half to make it 17-0 as the teams headed to the locker room.

The only points of the second half came on an 11-yard scoring dash by Pascagoula quarterback Jason Glaude at the 1:42 mark of the third frame.