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| The Daily Review, 2 |
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| Picayune's Kadarius Cross gets by the diving attempt from Laurel's Stephen Ulmer to score a TD in Friday's 35-28 win Between the Bricks. (Photo by Josh Nichols) |
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Tide slips by Naders for South State title
Mired by turnovers and sloppy play, the Laurel Golden Tornadoes dug themselves into an early hole and nearly climbed all the way back out of it before ultimately falling to the Picayune Maroon Tide 35-28 in front of a near packed house "Between the Bricks" on Friday night.
The Tide put together an 18-play, 95-yard scoring drive that chewed up nearly 10 minutes of clock in the second half and seemingly put the game away as they stretched their lead to 35-7 with 9:16 to go in the game.
However, the Naders were just playing possum.
Quarterback Keon Howard scored on a 60-yard gallop to the end zone to cut the Tornadoes’ deficit to 21 with 8:19 left in the game.
Then, the Naders’ defense forced a punt following a three-and-out by the Tide, and Laurel had the ball at its own 21-yard line with 6:37 to go.
After a 36-yard completion from Howard to Octavious Cooley, Howard threw a lateral to Cooley and he fired a dart to Omar Bayless for a 43-yard score to cut the lead to 14 with 6:10 to go.
Laurel then attempted an onside kick and Tornado linebacker Kenton Cooley recovered the ball at midfield.
It took the Tornadoes two plays to find paydirt again when Howard hit Cooley for a 16-yard scoring strike that got Laurel within seven with 5:43 to go.
However, it was not in the cards for the Tornadoes on this night. Laurel had one timeout remaining and Picayune was able to run out the final minutes of the game, taking a knee on the final play that set off a wild celebration on the Maroon Tide sideline.
Laurel finishes the season 12-2 and Picayune (11-2) advances to play Oxford (14-0) for the Class 5A state championship at 7:30 p.m. next Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson. Oxford beat Jackson-Callaway 23-7 in the 5A North State championship game.
For a complete recap of the Laurel-Picayune game, be sure to pick up the Tuesday issue of the Laurel-Leader Call.
— By Josh Nichols/sports@leader-call.net
Naders playing for South State championship
After the Laurel Golden Tornadoes and the Brookhaven Panthers played a scoreless first quarter, the Tornadoes exploded for 22 second-quarter points and withstood the rain and an Ole Brook rally in the third quarter for a 29-14 win at King Field on Friday night.
With the win, Laurel (12-1) will host Picayune (10-2) at 7 p.m. next Friday "Between the Bricks" for the CLass 5A South State championship.
The Tornadoes and Panthers each had two possessions in the opening quarter but neither team could muster much momentum and they traded punts.
The Tornadoes had the ball to start the second quarter and got on the board first. Aided by a pass interference and a personal foul by the Panthers, Laurel got inside the 10-yard line and QB Keon Howard scored on a 4-yard run. Jonathan Atencio tacked on the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
The Tornado defense forced another Ole Brook punt and on its next possession the Laurel offense put six more on the board.
The Naders covered 66 yards in eight plays and Howard hit Omar Bayless for a 35-yard scoring strike at the 2:20 mark of the second quarter. On the PAT, Ole Brook was penalized on back-to-back plays so Laurel head coach Todd Breland elected to go for two from a yard out. Howard stuck the ball in the gut of Matias Robinson and Robinson busted through the Ole Brook line for a 15-0 lead.
On the Panthers’ next play from scrimmage, Laurel defensive lineman Sam Lovett stepped in front of a pass from Panthers QB Fred Trevillion and returned the interception 26 yards to the Brookhaven 2-yard line.
Robinson punched it in from a yard out two plays later and Atencio tacked on the PAT for a 22-0 Laurel lead at intermission.
Around the nine-minute mark of the third quarter, the heavens opened with rain, umbrellas unfolded in the stands and the Panthers mounted a rally.
Moments after the rain began to fall, the Panthers picked off a Howard pass, and on their first offensive play after that, Teviaunte McDaniel raced for an 80-yard TD. The PAT failed and with 3:39 left in the third quarter, the Laurel lead was cut to 22-6.
Ole Brook's Tyrus Daniels cut the deficit even more when he scored on a 2-yard run at the 8:05 mark of the final period. The Panthers converted the try for two points and trailed 22-14.
Laurel then took the ball right down the field and, following a 30-yard run by Kobe Drummer, the Naders put the final nail in the Panthers coffin when Drummer punched one in from 10 yards out. Atencio added the final point of the night.
The Panthers had one more crack at a late comeback, but Laurel's Ricky Holden picked off a Trevillion pass with 1:08 left to slam the door shut on Ole Brook.
— By Josh Nichols, sports@leader-call.net
Drummer leads Naders’ rally to run past Stone
For the second week in a row, the Laurel Golden Tornadoes needed overtime "Between the Bricks" to overcome their opponent, and for the second week in a row, the Naders won on the game's final play.
Running back Kobe Drummer blasted through the right side of the line for a 5-yard score in double overtime to cap a Laurel comeback in a 34-28 win over Stone. Drummer rushed for 187 yards and two scores in the second half to lead the way for Laurel.
The win advances the Golden Tornadoes to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs, where they will travel to Brookhaven to face Ole Brook at 7 p.m. Friday.
Laurel came out flat in the first half and Stone took advantage by building a 21-7 halftime lead after Laurel twice fumbled inside the Tomcats’ 5-yard line going in for scores.
Whatever Laurel head coach Todd Breland said to his players at half time was enough to get the Tornadoes motivated in the second half.
Laurel drove 67 yards without completing a pass on the opening drive to pull within 21-14 when quarterback Keon Howard scored from a yard out.
The Tornadoes tied the game in the fourth following a 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with fullback Matias Robinson barreling his way into the end zone, carrying several Tomcats for the score.
Laurel and Stone both missed field goals in the fourth quarter and, after 48 minutes of play, the two teams were tied at 21.
After both teams scored in the first extra period, the Tomcats got the ball to start the second overtime. After driving inside the Laurel 1-yard line in three plays, Stone running back Justin Smith was stuffed by a plethora of Tornadoes on fourth down to set up Drummer's game-winning run.
On a night that the Tornadoes leaned heavily on their rushing attack, it was Drummer who was the workhorse for Laurel. He carried the ball 32 times for 223 yards and a pair of overtime TDs, including the game-winner, to lead the Tornadoes to the next round of the playoffs.
Howard was 9-of-20 passing for 100 yards and a 21-yard TD pass to Taurus Barnes.
Laurel finished the game with 397 yards rushing — the most in a game in Breland's tenure.
For a complete game recap with more photos, pickup the Tuesday edition of the Leader-Call.
— Josh Nichols, sports@leader-call.net
’Naders win thriller, take Jones County championship
It was a game that words can't even pay it the justice it deserved.
In the first "Battle for the Belt" championship game, the Golden Tornado defense slammed the door on the Mustangs as they attempted a two-point conversion on the game's final play in overtime for a 35-34 Laurel win that set off a wild celebration "Between the Bricks."
But getting to that point was full of a ton of excitement.
Laurel built a 28-7 lead midway through the third quarter when running back Kobe Drummer scored on a 6-yard run.
Then, the Mustangs’ comeback began.
West Jones answered with a 7-yard TD strike from quarterback Neil McLaurin to Jalen Lindsay to cut the lead in half late in the third quarter.
On the Tornadoes’ next possession, Mustang Channing Jones picked off a Keon Howard pass and returned it to midfield. West Jones scored four plays later on a 3-yard run by Deionte Keyes to cut the lead to 28-21 with 5:51 left in the game.
On the Tornadoes’ ensuing drive, Howard was intercepted by Ryan Suggs, who returned the ball to the Laurel 22-yard line. On the next play, McLaurin hit Lindsay for the 22-yard score to tie the game at 28.
Keyes came away with the third interception of the quarter for the ’Stingy Stangs and West Jones was in business at its own 44-yard line with 3:17 to play.
The Mustangs drove inside the Laurel 20-yard line with time ticking down and called a timeout with two seconds left on the clock at the Tornadoes’ 17-yard line, but Kyle Estess' field goal attempt on the final play of regulation was wide left.
The Tornadoes went on offense first in overtime and Howard atoned for his three interceptions when he ound Octavious Cooley for a 7-yard score on third down. Jonathan Atencio's PAT gave Laurel a 35-28 lead.
McLaurin answered the Tornadoes when he scored from a yard out to pull the Mustangs within one.
West Jones called a timeout and decided to go for two and the win, but the Tornado defense slammed the door on Mustang running back DJ Sanders for the win.
Laurel will host Stone County (6-5, 5-2) next Friday at 7 p.m. "Between the Bricks" in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. West Jones will travel to Picayune (8-2, 6-1) to take on the Maroon Tide.
For a complete recap of Friday's game along with a page full of photos from the first "Battle for the Belt" championship game, pick up the Tuesday edition of the Leader-Call.
— Josh "The Guru" Nichols/sports@leader-call.net
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