Special to the Item

D’IBERVILLE — Behind running back Mark Seymour and quarterback Jake Miller, D’Iberville shut out Poplarville 49-0 in Region 8-4A action Friday night at Warrior Stadium.

Seymour scored on a 38-yard TD run early in the game and the Warriors (5-0, 2-0) built a 21-0 lead before Poplarville made a comeback. The Hornets (1-4, 1-1) drove from their own 48 to the Warrior 24 before a fumble ended the drive.

Ira White set the drive in motion with a 39-yard kickoff return.

Seymour scored two touchdowns, including a 76-yard run in the second quarter. Quarterback Jake Miller had three touchdown passes and ran for another. He hit Jacoby Bell with a 57-yarder and an 11-yarder, and tight end Jeremy Picard on a 26-yard toss. D’Iberville led 42-0 at halftime.

“They have a heckuva ballclub,” Poplarville coach Chris Teal said. “One thing I wanted to see tonight was our kids not quit and I didn’t see them quit. We have some character guys on this team and that will help us in the future.”

Adam Thomas led Poplarville with 90 rushing yards on 16 carries. White added 58 yards on 10 carries.

“We hurt ourselves, no doubt,” Teal said. “You can’t do that against a quality squad like D’Iberville. We have Picayune next week. We’ll be ready to play but that will be a big challenge for us.

Poplarville threatened to get on the scoreboard late in the game, driving from its 11 to the Warrior 5. D’Iberville put its first-string defense back in the game and it stiffened. Shelby Purvis then missed a 30-yard field goal on the last play of the game. Seymour rushed for 130 yards on four carries. Miller completed 6 of 7 passes for 127 yards.