Panthers hunting win at Florence
Published 5:00 am Friday, September 29, 2006
Hunting their second straight win, the Brookhaven Panthers hitthe road Friday for a Region 6-4A game at Florence. Kickoff is 7p.m.
Coach Tucker Peavey’s Panthers, 3-2 overall and 1-1 in regionplay, are fresh from a 32-18 comeback win over Mendenhall. Florence(2-3, 0-2), coached by Dennis Thompson, is recovering from a 47-0blowout at McComb.
“Florence is a lot better football team than they were a yearago,” Peavey pointed out. “They throw the ball well onoffense.”
Pulling the trigger in Florence’s offense is junior quarterbackHunter Thompson (6-0, 165). The Eagles were 34-21 victims ofLawrence County two weeks ago at Monticello.
“Their quarterback (Thompson) runs their offense well,” saidPeavey. “He has a strong arm and a quick release.”
Peavey said the Eagles, “seem to be faster on defense than theywere.
“No. 24 (Austin Robinson), a receiver and defensive back, ispretty good. No. 1 (Jet McCoy) is a good athlete.”
Robinson (5-11, 170) is a junior and McCoy (6-0, 175) is asophomore.
In the win over Mendenhall, Ole Brook’s Players of the Week wereCharles Wilson, on offense; Larry Winters on defense and JoshWitherspoon on special teams.
Wilson rushed 21 times for 135 yards and 3 touchdowns as thePanthers overcame a 12-0, second-quarter deficit. QuarterbackCharles (Bobo) Rancifer rushed for 62 yards and completed 10 of 16passes for 65 yards, including a 38-yard TD pass to wide receiverMarcus Smith.
Smith was Brook’s leading receiver with 4 catches for 59 yards.Simmie Yarborough caught 3 passes for 26 yards.
Place-kicker/punter Will Thibodeaux kicked a 34-yard field goaland punted 4 times for a 35.7-yard average.
On defense, Winters paced the Panthers with 6 tackles and aquarterback sack. Virgil Sanders and Greg Walker each had 5tackles. R.J. Jenkins intercepted 2 passes and recovered a fumblein the end zone. Jerrell Buie and Bo Smith also interceptedpasses.
Peavey said his team must focus on each game as the region raceheats up. “We need to play good football and execute what we do onoffense and defense.
“Florence usually has a good kicking game.”
Panther Paws: Last year the Panthers whipped Florence49-6 in a homecoming waltz on King Field. Rancifer rushed for twotouchdowns and passed for another. He scored on runs of 3 and 22yards and passed 27 yards to Charles Wilson for anotherscore.
Wilson also ran 9 yards for a TD. Marlon Dixon returneda fumble 15 yards for a touchdown as Ole Brook (2-3) took a 42-0halftime lead. Patrick Ayers also scored a BHS TD.