After starting the 2011 high school football season with a bang, Poplarville began Region 8-4A play Friday night with a definite thud.
The Hornets fell behind by three touchdowns at halftime on their way to a 34-0 loss to visiting Forrest County Agricultural High School.
“I didn’t think we would shut them down like we did,” FCAHS coach Larry Dolan said. “Defensively, we played super and gave ourselves a lot of chances on the offensive side of the ball.
Two turnovers and a 17-yard punt in the first quarter contributed to the Hornets’ early hole, as the Aggies (6-1, 1-0 8-4A) handed Poplarville (4-2, 0-1) its second consecutive loss and first shutout of the fall.
“You give Forrest County an 80-yard field, and you’ve got your hands full, much less a 30- or 40-yard field,” Poplarville coach Chris Teal said. “We played behind the eight-ball all night, pretty much.”
Indeed.
After a three-and-out to start the game, Neeko Lockhart sliced a 17-yard punt out of bounds at his 34-yard line.
FCAHS needed just two plays to cash in, with quarterback Lukas Dubose finding McKinley Howell along the far sideline for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Grant McLaurin’s extra point made it 7-0 just 2 1/2 minutes into the game.
“We thought we cold bet something, Dolan said
“They’re real aggressive, and we thought we could get behind them a little bit. Dubose threw a great ball.”
The Aggies made it 14-0 after he second of Tyus Raine’s two, first-quarter fumbles set up FCAHS at the Poplarville 29.
A 22-yard pass to Adarius Perkins on first down left the Aggies first-and-goal, and Dontavian Lee plowed into the end zone two snaps later from 6 yards.
The Aggies went up 21-0 in the second quarter on a seven-play, 65-yard drive.
Lee ran for 3 yards on a fourth-and-2 to keep the drive alive, and two snaps later, burst off the left side for a 48-yard touchdown run that made it 21-0 at halftime.
Things could have been worse for Poplarville at the break. The Aggies missed a 32-yard field goal and twice turned the ball over on downs after driving inside the Hornets’ 20-yard line.
Lee finished with 155 yards on 15 carries, as FCAHS outgained the Hornets on the ground 265 yards to 157 yards.
“He’s just a sophomore and he’s real raw, but he runs hard,” Dolan said of Lee. “We’re expecting good things from him.”
Raine accounted for 107 yards on 20 carries, his fifth, 100-yard rushing game of the season, but he was kept out of the end zone for the first time this season after scoring 17 touchdowns in Poplarville’s first, five games.
“All week, we prepared for these guys, but we just didn’t come out and play like we know we can play,” Raine said.
Offensively, it was a double-whammy for Poplarville. The Hornets managed just four plays that gained more than 10 yards, with a long run of 15.
The Hornets struggled in the passing game as well. In his second start in place of the injured Drake Hodges, sophomore Chandler Ray completed just one of six passes, a 6-yard completion on the final play of the first half.
Poplarville, which had come into the game averaging 387.6 yards total offense, was limited to just 163 yards by the Aggies.
“I know we’re facing some adversity, but we can’t let that affect our play,” Teal said.
After a scoreless third quarter, FCAHS made it 28-0 on a 13-play, 64-yard drive capped by Clarence Atkinson’s 4-yard run.
Ray was intercepted by A.D. Haralson on the next play, leaving the Aggies in business at Poplarville’s 35. Four plays later, back-up quarterback Carter Hankins snuck in from 2 yards for the final score of the night.
“This was a big win against a good (region) opponent,” Dolan said “I think Poplarville’s going to beat some folks in our (region), so it’s going to make for an interesting deal.
“But we love to be 1-0 in the (region) and we’ll see what’ll happen. You get that first one, at least you don’t get skunked.”
The Hornets continue region play at 7 p.m. Friday at Greene County. The Wildcats (3-3, 1-0) defeated Bay High 14-0 in their region opener.
“We’re a way better football team,” Raine said. “We’ll make up for it.”