Can the Ruleville Central Tigers defeat a team of Panthers two weeks in a row?
After opening their Region 3-3A competition with a solid 29-12 victory over the Panthers of visiting J.Z. George High School, the now 2-4, 1-0 Tigers have a major test in front of them this week.
This Friday night brings a trip to Yazoo County High School for a 7 p.m. regional kickoff against an undefeated (5-0, 1-0) squad of Panthers which is ranked No. 2 among all 3A teams.
“Yazoo County has a big team with a lot of athletes with a lot of speed,” said Ruleville Central Head Coach Mario Lane.
The Panthers of Yazoo County bring a high-scoring offense into the game which is averaging 41.3 points per game while their defense has thus far recorded two shutouts while giving up only a seven point per outing average.
Leading the Panthers on the field is Kenny Gainwell, who has committed to the University of Memphis as an athlete.
This Ruleville Central match-up with Yazoo County is only the second since 2004 and the Panthers have won both of those meetings, including last season’s 41-0 blanking of the Tigers. Yazoo County would go on to finish that 2016 season with a 7-5 record which ended in the second round of the playoffs.
As for last Friday night’s victory over J.Z. George High of Carrollton, Lane noted “We are getting better defensively, it was good to open our regional play with a win.”
The Tigers not only claimed last Friday’s game, but did so in come-from-behind fashion. Overcoming a 12-7 first half deficit, the Tigers posted 22 unanswered points on the scoreboard during the second half of the contest.
Led by senior Randarious Maxon’s 244-yard, two-touchdown rushing effort, the Tigers’ offense took advantage of the second half shutout provided by the Ruleville Central defensive unit to help earn the victory.
The Tigers notched their only points of the first half with an opening period, three yard run by Maxon and a Jeremiah Surney PAT kick.
The Panthers, meanwhile, answered with a touchdown in each of the first two quarters to earn their 12-7 halftime lead.
The game would change, however, when the Tigers’ defense took over the line of scrimmage in the second half of play and prohibited the Carrollton squad from reaching the end zone again the remainder of the game. The Tigers would take a permanent lead in the third frame when Maxon broke free en route to a 65-yard sprint to the end zone, and with Surney’s PAT, owned a 14-12 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers punched the football into the end zone twice more when Darious Townsend recorded two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. The first score covered three yards while the Tigers’ final score of the night was earned from five yards out.
Statistically, Maxon’s 22 carries fueled the Tigers’ 352 yard rushing attack while their passing attack did not generate any positive yardage.
Defensively, the Tigers were led by Surney’s strong 11 solo, two assist night of play.
Also making their presence known were Jaban Reed (6 solos, 1 assist), Jamarius Hale (3 solos, 2 assists), and Quinn Perkins (4 solos, 1 assist).
