SUNDAY SPORTS 120620

POPLARVILLE, MGCCC, SAINTS

- saturday's 4-a state- championship game between - poplarville and louisville is - the very same movie we saw back- in- 20-18... however with a lot of- new actors on each supporting - cast.

- the hornets were certainly- looking for a different - ending... in this 20-20 - re-match.

- poplarville in the state title- game for the fourth time in - five years... still looking for- its first-ever gold ball... - taking on a - louisville program that's - 9-and-0 in title games... and - going for its 10th.

- 1.hornets ball first... on the- third play from scrimmage...- quarterback matt will with the- sneaky hand off to- runningback tyron holston who - gets this huge burst down - the near sideline for the - 35-yard pick up and a big - poplarville first - down.

- 2.

Later that drive...fourth- down conversions a- big story in this game... and - here's one of them that goes fo- a - touchdown... as runningback - avon jarvis falls into the- endzone - for 1-yard score and the first- points of the game... 7-nothing- hornets.- 3.

Ensuing drive... quarterback- jace hudspeth lobs this one up- to receiver key-arrion jackson- on third down... however- defensive back torry polk is- there to serve the hit and knoc- the ball out of jackson's hands- officials say complete pass - though... louisville first down- 4.

Very next play... hudspeth - dumps it off underneath to- receiver jaden triplett... who- almost takes it all the way to- the house before gettomg trippe- up short of the goal line..

- time expires in the first.- 5.

Second quarter... same - wildcats drive... defensive bac- mason anderson flying over the- pile... trying to keep hudspeth- out of the endzone...doesn't- work though... wildcats tie it- up- at 7-all.

- 6.

Just three plays later...- running back gregory swann... - senior team captain... winner o- this year's hornet ironman- competition... runs it 62 yards- to the crib... touchdown- poplarville... making it 14-7 i- - - favor of the south state- champs...that's the score going- into the half... and the hornet- wouldn't score again.

- 7.

Fourth quarter... running- back d-j richard-bey- finally snaps off a 10-yard - run... after being locked down- - - - by the wildcats for most of the- game... later in the drive- however he gets stuffed on- fourth down.- 8.

Later in the fourth... after- converting two fourth downs to- keep the drive alive... wildcat- score the game's first points..- in 34 minutes... hudspeth - going up top for- receiver jarvis rush... and he'- got it... back-breaking - touchdown catch... tying it up- with 36 seconds left in - regulation.

- wildcats were going for the - two-point conversion all- day... and they go for it - here... as triplett somehow - stays - on his feet... and dives into - the endzone... for his team's - first lead- of the game... and poplarville'- first deficit... for more than- 47- minutes... un-thinkable - heart-break for the hornets...- who would get picked off on - their final possession... and - you can just see the anguish on- everyone's face... emotions - boiling - over.

- 15-14 final... that game-winnin- drive went 82 yards on 13 plays- in just under six minutes...- what else is there to even say- after - that....as you might expect...- not too much.

- - "there ain't nothing you can say.

Nothing- you can say to those guys right- now that's going to make them - feel any better.

It - sucks and that's all there is t- it."

"it's going to make me work harder.

Make me - even more angrier.

Make me want- to get back on this field.- again.

And get back - to this place.

And if i get her- again, i promise you, i'm not - going out sad.

I- worked too hard this year.

I"m going to work even harder over- - - - the summer.

I'm getting back- here.

And i promise you, i'm- getting me a ring before i- graduate.

Me- and my team.

Sucks to have to - lose in a state championship- game by one point.

It - hurts, man."

The hornets end their 20-20 - season with an overall record - of 10-4... and their fourth - south state championship... in- the last five years.- - another coast football team was- playing in a championship - re-match saturday as mississipi- gulf coast went - head-to-head with northwest - mississippi for the second year- in a row in the m-a-c-c-c - conference title game.- at home under the lights of a-l- may memorial stadium...the- bulldogs looking to claim their- 17th conference - championship and their first- back- to-back titles since 2007- and - 2008.

- 1.

Second quarter... rangers- already up 9 - nothing, - quarterback michael hiers - connects with receiver e.j.

- mason for the 12-yard - touchdown... rangers extend - their lead, 16 - zip.

- 2.

Final play of the half...- quarterback philip short- throws up this 55-yard hail mar- to receiver jymetre - hester... who runs its in for - what hester says is a - touchdown...- however officials rule it's a - fumble in the endzone,- rangers recover to end the- half... still up 16 - 0.- 3.

First drive of the third - quarter, short rockets a 55-yar- pass to hester... who tacks on- some extra yards... finally - coming down at northwest's 2- - - - - yard line.

First down gulf- coast.- 4.

Next play..

Running back - de-ondre house punches it in fo- the 2-yard touchdown... house's- 7th score of the- season... bulldogs attemp a - 2-point conversion- however it's no good... score..- 16-6 rangers.

- 5.

Fourth quarter... short is - blind-sided by defensive back - - - stephen hall... ball comes loos- for the fourth time of the- game... defensive lineman - jykeveous hibbler comes in for- the 50-yard scoop and score.- 26-6 rangers.

- 5.

Later in the fourth... house- takes one to the house for a 41- - - - yard t-d, pulling the bulldogs- within two touchdowns of- the rangers.

Score, 26-13.- 6.

3 minutes later, running bac- jaquerrious - - williams makes it a three score- gap as he cruises into the- endzone - for the 21-yard touchdown - - - - run... 33-13 rangers 7.

9 - minutes left in the game... - short is picked off by defensiv- back byron pearson who- returns it 70-yards for the - final points of the game..

Off- of- short's fourth turnover of the- match up.

- final score... 40 - 13... - rangers become conference - champs for the 10th time in - program history... on the - back of a performance in which- the bulldogs gave up- the most points in a game since- september of 20-17.

- - "we've talked the past couple days about- how this is their last shot on- this field and they knew the- gravity of this situation.

They- knew what was at stake, and i - felt like we were prepared as a- - - - coaching staff.

But you're- right, it was a magical two-yea- run by these sophomores, a lot- of wins.

Just - disappointed in myself that as - coaching staff we couldn't get- them out of here as - winners."

Saturday's loss is the first fo- gulf coast since 20-18... endin- a - 21-game winning streak... which- was just one shy of tying the - all-- time school record.

- - just two weeks after back-up- quarterback taysom hill made- his n-f-l starting debut at - home against the falcons, hill- and - the saints travel to atlanta fo- a re-match.

- the falcons, under the directio- of interim head - coach raheem morris, have won - three of their last four games,- boosting their record to 4-and-- 8, while new orleans is - holding onto an eight-game win- streak since losing back-to-- back games in weeks two and - three.- hill starts the game with a - two-game winning streak - since he took over for injured- quarterback drew brees in - week 11.- 1.

First quarter... hill finds- receiver tre-quan smith in the- endzone with this 15-yard - touchdown pass... hill's first- touchdown pass since his senior- year at b-y-u in 20-16.

Saints- get - on the board first, 7 - nothing- 2.

Second quarter... hill - dropping back and looking for - the endzone... 2 touchdown- passes in one half after a 4- year dorught?

Yup.

Hill hits- tight end jared cook with this- 11-yard pass for the score.

14 - 6, saints.- 3.

Third quarter... running bac- alvin kamara- - - - straight up the middle for an - 11- yard score.

Saints go up, 2- - - 9.

Kamara ends the game as the- saints leading rusher with 88 - yards, just ahead of hill's 83- yards.

4.

Fourth quarter... - atlanta finally makes it into - the endzone with this 10-yard - touchdown pass from quarterback- matt ryan to- receiver russell gage... the- first touchdown new orleans has- allowed in 14 quarters.

- atlanta gets it to within 6...- however, the saints hold the- falcons off for the win, 21 - - 16.

- the saints pick up their ninth- win in a row and become the - first - n-f-l team to clinch a playoff- spot with the bears loss to - the lions making it official.

- next sunday, the saints travel- to philadelphia to take on the- 3-8-- and 1 eagles.