Panthers put Terry Bulldogs in dog pound

Published 5:00 am Monday, October 14, 2002

TERRY – On Friday night, the Brookhaven Panthers used anall-around team effort to bring home a 52-10 Region 6-4A victoryover the Terry Bulldogs. The Panthers got four touchdowns from theoffense, two from the defense and two from special teams.

Brookhaven improves its overall record to 4-3 and is 3-1 in theregion. Terry fell to 1-5 and 0-3.

“This was by far our best overall team effort of the season,”said Panther head coach Tucker Peavey. “We got effort from allphases of the team tonight.” Peavey was referring to the offense,defense and special teams play.

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Each team had 1 possession in the first quarter, with neitherteam scoring, entering the second period.

Brookhaven captured a 7-0 lead with 10:31 remaining in the firsthalf when sophomore quarterback Jimmy Johns scored on an 11-yardrun. Dominick DiPaolo’s PAT kick was good. This 15-play, 74-yarddrive took nearly 6 minutes to complete.

The Panthers’ special teams got into the scoring when TareanJones fielded a Terry punt at his own 45 and raced 55 yards to theendzone with 8:25 left in the second period. The PAT kick failedand Brookhaven led 13-0.

Peavey watched as the defense took its turn and entered thescoring column with 2 touchdowns. The first score occurred whendefensive end Phillip Tobias returned a Bulldog fumble 32 yards fora touchdown at the 6:32 mark of the second. The second came whenlinebacker Belma Cager intercepted a Terry pass and returned thefootball 41 yards for a score. DiPaolo kick’s was successful andBrookhaven held a 26-0 lead with 3:18 left in the first half.

On Tobias’ touchdown rumble, defensive end James Dixon sackedBulldog quarterback Blake Pennock for a 10-yard loss which caused afumble. Pennock laid on the field motionless for several minutesbefore he walked off the field under his own power.

“Blake suffered a mild concussion,” said first-year Bulldog headcoach Jackie Williamson. “We had him taken to the hospital just asa precaution.” Information on Pennock’s condition was unavailableat press time.

Terry got the scoreboard at the end of the first half, whensophomore placekicker Jess Shelby nailed a 40-yard field goal. TheBulldogs trailed 26-3 at the intermission.

“We are a very young ballclub,” said Williamson. “We made somecrucial mistakes but I am proud of the effort that our team gavetonight.”

The Panthers added 20 points to the scoreboard in the thirdperiod. Darius Perkins scored on a 14-yard run. Johns found widereceiver Kendell Nickelson with a 22-yard touchdown pass. JoshAnderson scored on a 1-yard run with 2:19 remaining in the thirdand Brookhaven had increased their advantage to 46-3. DiPaoloconnected on 2-of-3 PAT kicks in the period.

Brookhaven notched its final touchdown with 4:12 remaining inthe game. The Panthers were set to punt from the Terry 38. ABulldog receiver was set to receive the ball inside the Terry 15.The receiver mishandled the catch and after the ball rolled aroundbetween both teams, Brookhaven’s Emmanuel Perkins retrieved theball and raced 8 yards to the goal line. Peavey’s ballclubentertained a 52-6 lead.

Terry would score its only touchdown of the night with 1:07 lefton the clock, when James Owens scored on a 3-yard run. Shelby’s PATkick was good and all that was remaining was the final 67 secondsto tick off the clock.

“Our defense came through once again,” added Peavey. “We still alot of improving to do.”

Brookhaven got 101 yards on 11 carries from Darius Perkins tolead the offense. Johns completed 4-of-7 passes for 55 yards and 1touchdown but was picked off 2 times by the Terry defense.Nickelson paced the receiving corps with 1 reception for 22 yardsand a touchdown.

Defensively, senior Abe Blue led the Panther defensewith 9 tackles. Emmanuel Perkins followed with 8 tackles. Andersonhad 7 tackles (4 solos). Cager had 6 stops, a fumble recovery andan interception that was returned for a touchdown. Tobias recovereda fumble and returned it for a score.

Brookhaven travels to Pike County Friday night, foranother Region 6-4A test with the South Pike Eagles (6-1, 2-0).Game time is set for 7:30 p.m., in Magnolia.