The host Loyd Star Hornets and the McLaurin Tigers put on anoffensive show for their fans Friday night on William E. “Sambo”Smith Field. When the dust settled, the Tigers had escaped theHornets with a close 41-39 victory.

McLaurin improved to 4-1 on the season and Loyd Star fell to 1-2overall. Both teams begin their respective region play thisweek.

“We are proud to get the win, especially against a good teamlike Loyd Star,” said McLaurin head football coach Steve Pruett.”This was a very physical game. At first, we played very sloppy,but later on we managed to get in our rhythm. This game was good towatch but not to coach.

“Loyd Star’s Michael Britt is a very good player and is hard totackle because he refuses to go down,” said Pruett. “But I am proudof my guys, and to get the win again because I can not rememberwhen the last time McLaurin beat Loyd Star. I do know it has been along time.”

In the first quarter, Loyd Star and McLaurin scored on theirfirst possessions. The Hornets scored on an 85-yard kickoff returnby Randy Fells for a 6-0 lead at the 11:45 mark.

The Tigers came back and put up seven points on a 6-yard run byAnthony Waker and a PAT kick by Daniel Scott for a brief 7-6 leadwith 9:29 left in the first quarter.

Loyd Star came back at the 5:36 mark and punched in a 6-yard TDon a pass from quarterback Jarred Rogers to Patrick Holcomb,followed by a 2-point conversion run by Britt to give the Hornets aslim 14-7 lead.

The Tigers answered with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter topunch in a touchdown on a 67-yard burst by Kevin Quick. The PATfailed and Loyd Star held a one-point, 14-13, lead as the quarterended.

McLaurin went up 21-14 at the 9:09 mark on a 70-yard punt returnby Quick. Tim Williams hit Quotasze on a 2-point pass-play with9:09 left in the second quarter.

With 18 seconds left in the first half, the Hornets came backwith a 12-yard pass-play from Rogers to Johnson for the TD. Holcombkicked the extra point to tie the game at 21-all.

In a matter of seconds, McLaurin’s Quotasze Williams broke looseand scored a 40-yard TD with no time remaining in the first half topush Tigers’ lead to 28-21 following Scott’s PAT kick.

Third quarter action saw Quick run for a 4-yard TD and Scottkicked another extra point for a 35-21 lead with 10:09 left in thequarter.

Loyd came back with a 46-yard run from Britt and a blocked PATkick to cut the McLaurin lead to 35-27 with 8:31 left.

Tempers flared in the third quarter as Loyd Star’s BrandonWarren and McLaurin’s Landon Craft were ejected for fighting.

Action continued in fourth quarter with one TD from the Tigersand 2 from the Hornets. 42-yard pass-play from Rogers to Holcombcut the deficit to 35-33 with 10:19 left in the game. The 2-pointrun failed.

The Tigers put up their final TD of the game on a 7-yard burstby Quick. Scott’s PAT kick was blocked as McLaurin pushed the leadto 41-33 with 4:21 to play.

The Hornets weren’t through. Rogers connected to Holcomb for33-yard score, cutting the deficit to 41-39. Britt’s 2-point runwas stopped by the Tiger defense with 2:29 left to play.

“This was a tough game for both teams,” said Loyd Star coachJosh Thibodeaux. “We had a couple of bad breaks during the game butmy guys never quit. We came out after halftime with more intensityand cut down our mistakes.

“McLaurin’s No. 2 (Kevin Quick) and No. 6 (Quotasze Williams)are very quick and tough. McLaurin should be very tough in theirdivision. Michael Britt did an outstanding job and our defenseplayed good. All around, we did a great job but we still have towork on our special team. But I am proud of my coaching staff andmy players because they did a great job.”

Leading the Tigers with 22 carries for 124 yards was Quick.Quotasze Williams rushed 3 times for 80 yards. Following with 32yards on 6 carries was Walker. Finishing with 47 yards on 4 carrieswas Jeremy Hegwood.

Powering the Hornets was Britt with 105 yards on 10 carries.Rogers rushed 15 times for 81 yards.

Rogers completed 4 of 10 passes for 94 yards and was interceptedtwice.

The top receiver for the Hornets was Holcomb with 3 touchdowncatches for 32 yards. Johnson made one catch for 12 yards and aTD>

Defensively, Tyler Williford recovered a fumblefor Loyd Star. Fells intercepted a pass.

McLaurin’s Jeremy Collier and Corey Nutt each intercepted apass.