by Hunter Dawkins
Unfortunately, Pass Christian could not put both football halves together as the Pirates lost to the North Pike Jaguars 33-27. Five turnovers and a few costly penalties kept the Pirates from getting past the Jaguars.
“North Pike had good athletes and a good football team,” said Pass Christian Head Football Coach Blake Pennock. “Despite the first half score, we never gave up and turned this into a game.”
The first half was not good for the Pirates on both sides of the ball. Opening the game from the Southwest Community College football field in Summit, the Pirates went a quick three-and-out, putting the ball into the Mississippi Dandy Dozen North Pike senior quarterback Alijah Martin’s hands. Martin did not disappoint, running in for a 15-yard touchdown following a seven-play drive.
When the extra point was converted, the score was 7-0 Jaguars with 3:09 left in the first quarter. North Pike’s star finished the game with 395 total yards and had a hand in every touchdown.
“We had a game plan set for him to stop him running the ball,” said Pennock. “He certainly threw the ball better than I’d seen tonight, though.”
Pass Christian gunslinger senior quarterback Dustin Allison countered the score with a two-yard short pass to receiver Xavian Chamberlain for a touchdown after a 14-play drive. The extra point was missed early in the second quarter, leaving the score 7-6, with North Pike in the lead. The Jaguars never lost the lead, scoring two touchdowns after a two-yard touchdown run from Martin with 6:48 left; and a 20-yard pass from the senior quarterback to North Pike Receiver Jacoby Matthews with 1:01 left in the half.
One extra point was blocked, making the halftime score 20-6, Jaguars’ lead.
North Pike jumped out of the gate following halftime with a long touchdown pass from Martin to Zamarea Fountain. Once the point-after was converted, the score climbed to 27-6 with 10:03 left in the quarter.
The Pirates leaped back on the ship, with Allison immediately hitting Pass Christian receiver Kameron White on a quick slant that turned into an 80-yard touchdown. Davon Klein converted the extra point to cut the lead to North Pike 27-13.
Defensively, Pass Christian Senior Linebackers Gordon Ward and Reese Gorman led the rally by stopping the North Pike explosive offense.
Despite a few turnovers in the third quarter, Allison began the final with a fourth-down 16-yard run for a touchdown. With the extra-point conversion, the game was now 27-20 with 10:27 left in the game.
Martin countered with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Fountain for the Jaguars at 8:50. The extra point was no good, leaving the score 33-20 and a North Pike lead.
There was one last hurrah as Allison found receiver Moffett for a 27-yard strike with 6:58 following the extra point and a 33-27 Jaguars lead. That was the last time in the end zone for the Pirates as the game ended in that score.
Allison led the Pirates with 325 yards and three touchdown passes. He also ran for 66 yards with a touchdown. Pass Christian receiver White led the game with 175 yards in the air and a touchdown while Moffett caught 4 receptions for 87 yards plus a score.
Pass Christian hosts Perry Central for homecoming next Friday at 7 p.m.
