CRYSTAL SPRINGS – Defensive end Don Expose and his Brookhaventeammates decided to step it up several notches on defense thesecond half.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS – Defensive end Don Expose and his Brookhaventeammates decided to step it up several notches on defense thesecond half. They held Crystal Springs scoreless in the last twoquarters and Brookhaven’s Panthers roared to a 42-12 Friday nightvictory over the Tigers in Division 6-4A action.

“We came out pretty strong the second half,” said Expose, anemotional senior leader on defense. “We came out hitting. We reallyhaven’t played our best football yet.”

The victory raised Brookhaven’s record to 4-1 overall and 1-0 indivision play. It was Brookhaven’s fourth straight win since aseason-opening loss at Vicksburg.

Crystal Springs (2-4, 0-1), trailing 29-12 at halftime, hadenjoyed some first-half success as senior quarterback Jason Osbornepassed for a pair of touchdowns. In the last two quarters,Brookhaven’s defensive effort intensified. Osborne completed onlyone pass and it was for one yard.

Offensively, the Panthers got two strong 100-plus yard rushingperformances. Junior tailback Cornelius Allen rushed 16 times for151 yards and 1 TD. Sophomore fullback Josh Anderson carried 14times for 140 yards and 2 TDs.

Brookhaven amassed 450 yards rushing, with 322 coming the firsthalf. Quarterback Fred Perkins rushed for 83 yards and 2 TDs.Wingback Tarik Williams had 79 yards rushing, including a 66-yardscoring run which led to an early 7-0 lead.

“We got some big plays from some of our players tonight,” saidBrookhaven head coach Greg Wall. “It feels good to win our firstdivision game but we made way too many mental mistakes.”

Wall watched his Panthers get penalized 8 times for 100 yards,six of them major penalties. A fourth-quarter, roughing-the-passerpenalty was questionable and it drew a serious protest from Walland his coaching staff.

Osborne threw several good passes, eluding heavy pressure fromBrookhaven’s defense. His 5-yard TD pass to tight end AntorreoKendricks cut Brookhaven’s lead to 7-6. A 29-yard TD pass fromOsborne to Kevin Williams pulled the Tigers within 15-12.

Anderson enjoyed a career night, rushing 25 yards for his firstTD and 43 yards for his second. Justin Windham’s PAT kick put thePanthers up 22-12 just 19 seconds after the Tigers had scored.

Allen’s 10-yard scoring run and Windham’s PAT gave Brookhaven a29-12 lead with 3:06 left in the first half. It capped a 9-play,54-yard drive.

In the second half, the Panthers overcame three fumbles andtacked on a pair of touchdowns. They went 45 yards in 6 plays, withPerkins sneaking the final yard. That TD put the Panthers up35-12.

On the ensuing kickoff, Lonnie Roberson fumbled the return andJulius Lloyd returned it to the Tigers 22. Two plays later, Perkinscircled his right end and scored from 14 yards out. Windham’s PATgave Brookhaven a 42-12 lead with 10:19 left in the game.

Crystal Springs head coach Will Blair said his Tigers received”a butt-whipping.”

Blair is in his second year at the helm and trying to build acompetitive program. The Tigers have been division doormatsforever. Construction is under way on a new field house.

“Brookhaven has a good ballclub,” said Blair. “Our kids playedhard and didn’t give up.” @Bbstandings:

STATISTICS B CS First Downs 21 13 Rushes-Yards 52-45038-138 Passing Yards 0 83 Total Yards 450 221 Passes 0-2-0 6-14-1Fumbles-Lost 3-3 2-2 Punts-Average 1-0 4-32.5 Penalties-Yards 8-1005-35 Brookhaven 7 22 0 13 – 42 Crystal Springs 0 12 0 0 – 12 FIRSTQUARTER Brookhaven, T. Williams 66 run (Windham kick),11:40.

SECOND QUARTER Crystal Springs, Kendricks 5 pass fromOsborne (pass failed), 10:58. Brookhaven, Anderson 25 run (Andersonrun), 10:11. Crystal Springs, Robinson 29 pass from Osborne (runfailed), 8:59. Brookhaven, Anderson 43 run (Windham kick), 8:40.Brookhaven, Allen 10 run (Windham kick), 3:06.

FOURTH QUARTER Brookhaven, F. Perkins 1 run (kickfailed), 11:30. Brookhaven, F. Perkins 14 run (Windham kick),10:19. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Brookhaven, Allen 16-151,Anderson 14-140, Perkins 13-83, T. Williams 3-79, Parker 1-10,Wilson 1-4. Crystal Springs, Roberson 23-100, Osborne 6-16, Jenkins4-8, Kenderick 1-7, Ball 2-3, Robinson 1-3, Lawrence 1-1. PASSING:Brookhaven, Perkins 0-2-0. Crystal Springs, Osborne 6-14-1, 83.RECEIVING: Crystal Springs, Robinson 2-44, Kendricks 3-36, Roberson1-3.