Even though the McComb Tigers carried a 6-3 lead into the half-time break, and eventually won the Region 3-5A contest 26-9 here on Friday night, the Pearl River Central Blue Devils went toe-to-toe with the Tigers, dominating the first-half action, even though trailing at half-time.

And another bright spot for the Devils was that running back Trey Wynn turned in his third over-100-yard performance this season, rushing on 18 carries for 137 yards, one carry a 15-yard dash up the middle for PRC’s only score, and another 22-yard dash up the middle to set up a 37-yard field goal kick that gave the Devils three points just seconds before the half-time break.

But overall, at the end of the game, although the Devils out-played the Tigers at times, the Tigers rolled up three TDs in second-half action to win the district clash.

The win left the Tigers even overall at 4-4 and 1-2 in region play, and left the Devils 1-7 overall and 0-4 in district play, as the Devils prepare to host powerful unbeaten No. 1 Picayune Friday at Carriere. The Tigers take on West Jones next Friday.

The second half belonged to the Tigers, as the Devil defense allowed some quick and long-yardage TDs by Coach Malcolm Jones’ Tigers. It was the big play that killed the Devils again. But the first-half belonged to the Devils.

Even Jones had praise for the Devils in post-game comments, “They have a good team. They are nothing like they were last year.”

Collins, visibly upset over the loss, did not make any comments on the game, only to say that his field goal kicker had just moved into the Carriere district from Arizona, when asked about him. The Devil players nicknamed him “Arizona.”

The 5-7, 130 lb. freshman Jovan Detto, who has a short, quick kick, evidently with the strength of a car spring, booted a 37-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first half to pull the Devils to within three points of the Tigers at the half-time break.

The Tigers only had the ball for five plays in the first period, the Devils the rest of the time running 24 plays.

In the second period, the Devils had the ball for 18 plays and the Tigers for only 7. So how did the Tigers carry a three-point lead into the half-time? A turnover.

It came four minutes into the first period when the ball was bobbled by the Devils on  the Devil 26. Instead of falling to the ground, the ball was punched by a player and it went straight up into the air.

The ball came down into the arms of defensive Tiger lineman Denzell Jackson and the 215-lb. senior scampered around his right defensive end for a 26-yard run for paydirt. Kicker Jake Simpson’s PAT was no good. It was 6-0, Tigers, with 8:10 left in the first period.

The Devils then put together an 18-play, 75-yard drive that carried to the Tiger 5 where a sack and penalty moved the ball back to the 21. The series took up two-thirds of the first period.

So, with 1:07 left in the first stanza, Detto attempted a 36-yard field goal. The boot had the distance but was wide. Then with 10:28 left in the second period, Detto attempted a second FG, this time for 45-yards.  It was on target but a few yards short.

He then nailed the 37-yard boot with 13 seconds left in the first half, and the Blue Devils pulled to within a three-point deficit of the Tigers. It was 6-3, Tigers, at the break.

In the third period with 7:25 remaining, Tiger QB Lamarvin Ashley dashed 45 yards for a TD. Ashley tried to hit running back Cavellis Luckett for a two-point conversion but Ashley’s pitch missed. It was 12-3, Tigers.

Three minutes later Luckett, a 200-lb. junior, ran around his right end and took off down the sidelines for a 65-yard sprint for paydirt. This time Ashley hit wide receiver Tradarious Holloway for the two-pointer, making it 20-3.

Next, with 3:26 left in the game, Wynn’s 15-yard dash pulled the Devils to within 11, at 20-9. Devil QB Dylan Spiers went for two points but was sacked. Spiers hit 6 of 11 for 76 yards.

With only a minute left, Ashley hit Holloway for a 5-yard strike for the Tiger’s last TD, and when the game ended, the Tigers were still going for a two-point conversion, even though the Devils had no time outs and they could have easily run out the clock.

With only seconds left, the two-point attempt on a run by Ashley failed, and it wound up 26-9, Tigers.

The Tigers had 258 total yards to PRC’s 231. Ashley paced the Tigers both in rushing and passing. He rushed 73 yards on 10 carries and hit 4 of 11 passes for 51 yards.

Score by quarters:

PRC  0-3-0-6 = 9.

McC 6-0-14-6 = 26.