SUMMIT – The Brookhaven Panthers concluded spring footballpractice Saturday afternoon, with their participation the SouthwestCommunity College/Coca-Cola Football Jamboree at John I. HurstStadium.

Each team would run three series; a pair of 12-play series onoffense and defense, followed by an 8-play series. Midway throughthe afternoon, a torrential downpour, along with severe lightning,covered the playing field with water. Afterwards, each series wasshortened to 10-plays and 5 respectively.

The varsity Panthers picked up a pair of impressive wins.Brookhaven manhandled the Natchez Bulldogs 26-8 and pitched a 14-0shutout on the Amite County Trojans.

In the final series of the day, the Trojan veterans scored apair of touchdowns on the Panther JV squad for a 14-0 win.

In other action, the South Pike Eagles notched a pair of wins, a20-8 victory over the Picayune Maroon Tide and 40-6 trouncing ofthe Mendenhall Tigers. The McComb Tigers shut out Mendenhall 18-0,but suffered a 33-12 thrashing from the Maroon Tide. LawrenceCounty blasted Natchez 20-0 and Amite County 44-8.

Brookhaven 26, Natchez 8

After holding the Natchez Bulldogs scoreless on their firstseries, the Panthers took over on their own 40 and went to work.Brookhaven used 7 plays to find the end zone when Dominique Smithjetted in from 9 yards out. Guy Orr tacked on the extra point for a7-0 lead.

With five plays left on their initial possession, Brookhavenwould strike quickly. Darius Perkins bulled across the goal linefrom 2 yards out. Orr’s second PAT kick was successful and thePanthers led 14-0.

Natchez took over and 5 plays into their second possession, therains came. After a 1-hour delay, play resumed with games beingplayed on both ends of of the field; with possessions beginning atthe defense’s 40-yard line.

Brookhaven shut down the Bulldogs once more and the offenseresponded 6 plays later. Quarterback Jimmy Johns found AnthonyCaffie in the end zone with 24-yard touchdown pass. The conversionkick failed, with the Panthers still claiming a 20-0.

Natchez scored on the final possession on a 3-yard quarterbackkeeper. The conversion run was good and the Bulldogs trailed20-6.

The Panther offense closed out the game with Smith scoring hissecond touchdown of the night.

Brookhaven 14, Amite County 0

Johns had a hand in both touchdowns, finding split end TaureanJones with a 15-yard scoring strike. Orr’s first-of-two successfulPAT kicks was good.

Johns called his own number in the final series, this time from7 yards away.

The Panther defense turned in an outstanding performance on theafternoon. Jessie Bowman, W.T. King, Phillip Tobias, Julius Brownand T.J. Qualls were in on numerous tackles during the twogames.

“I am proud of the effort that you gave today,” said Pantherhead coach Tucker Peavey to his team, as they gathered underneaththe south endzone goal post. “But we still have a long ways to go,to get where we want to be.”

Brookhaven will have a little over three months to get ready forthe 2003 season opener, Aug. 29. The Panthers travel to CopiahCounty to meet the Hazlehurst Indians.