The Brookhaven Panthers gave homecoming queen Ashley Belcher andher court a victory to remember. They roared to a 58-6 Friday nighttrouncing of the Port Gibson Blue Waves, sparked by CharlesWilson’s 3-touchdown performance.

The Panthers (5-3, 3-2) romped to a 42-0 halftime lead over thewinless Blue Waves (0-7, 0-3). That lopsided margin allowed OleBrook coach Tucker Peavey to rest most of his starters in thesecond half.

Peavey, a 1980 BHS graduate is 5-0 in homecoming games under hisleadership.

Freshman Semmie Smith raced 62 yards for a touchdown on Brook’sfirst offensive play of the game, setting the tone for the rest ofthe evening. There was no suspense after Brook’s award-winning bandperformed its splendid “Phantom of the Opera” halftime show.

Senior safety R.J. Jenkins accounted for the game’s secondtouchdown, returning a fumbled pass reception 55 yards to paydirt.Wilson followed with back-to-back touchdowns.

“We were sloppy in some areas but it was a good win onhomecoming,” said Jenkins. “We did what we had to do.”

Senior place-kicker Will Thibodeaux saw his 2-year string of 67straight successful extra points come to an end in the secondquarter. However, he thrilled the large, partisan crowd on the nextextra point try after a high snap from center. Thibodeaux picked upthe football, rolled to his right and hit Cody Ratcliff in the endzone, for a 2-point conversion.

“I’m glad to win homecoming my senior year,” said Thibodeaux. “Idid my best to help us win.”

Junior quarterback Charles (Bobo) Rancifer didn’t play thesecond half as backup Bud Britt ran the offense. Before exitingRancifer threw touchdown passes of 53 yards to Marcus Smith and 24yards to Simmie Yarborough.

Peavey expected his team to be overconfident against the winlessvisitors and it showed in their focus and lack of execution in theearly going.

“We were kind of sloppy tonight,” said Peavey. “I didn’t feellike we were really sharp early on. We had trouble throwing andcatching the ball.”

A second-quarter interception by BHS cornerback JewaunWashington was returned 49 yards for an apparent touchdown but thescore was canceled by a personal foul penalty. Four plays later,Rancifer hooked up with Marcus Smith on a 53-yard scoring pass.

To start the third quarter, Coach Harry Brown’s Waves got a64-yard run from Carlos Barnes down to Brook’s 7-yard line. Onfirst down, fullback Antwoin Banks banged up the middle for thescore.

Brook’s only points of the third frame came on a safety.Linebacker Akeem Herring and end Larry Winters combined on a sackof PG quarterback Terrance Watson, Jr.

In the fourth quarter, Wilson’s 81-yard punt return for a TDovercame apparent disaster. The punt from PG’s Tywon Moore bouncedoff Wilson’s face mask and rolled down the field with a pack ofplayers in pursuit.

Wilson explained the incident. “It was crazy. The ball was highin the air and Keyondray (Powell) was calling for it. He said, ‘Igot it.’ Then I said, ‘I got it.’ I thought he had it. Then hestarted to block somebody and the ball hit me in the face.

“There was a crowd of people piled up. Then I picked up theball, found the wall (of blockers) and took off.”

Thibodeaux’s PAT kick put the Panthers up 58-6 with 8:17 left inthe game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Britt threw a second-down TD striketo Don Lofton near the goal line covering 24 yards.

Port Gibson was flagged for 3 personal foul penalties in thefourth quarter. The last penalty led to the ejection of TywonMoore, with 3:47 left to play.

For the game, 6 Panthers rushed the football and 8 playerscaught passes.