Quarterback Charles (Bobo) Rancifer and his Brookhaven teammatesmade a statement Friday night on King Field. An estimated crowd of3,000-plus watched Rancfier and the Panthers raise their intensitylevel after halftime and roar to a hard-fought 35-21 victory overthe McComb Tigers in Region 6-4A action.

Rancifer returned the game-opening kickoff 90 yards for atouchdown. He also ran 24 yards for a first half score. Runningback Semmie Smith chalked up a pair of second-half touchdowns andthe Panthers (3-1, 1-0) slammed the door on McComb as an inspireddefense played its best game of the season.

“We knew McComb would be tough and we would have to execute,”said Rancifer. “I love returning kickoffs. We have some good guyson the return team who can block.”

In a game of big plays, Ole Brook’s Simmie Yarborough stepped upon defense against McComb. Yarborough’s third-quarter interceptionof McComb senior quarterback Anthony Daniels was returned to theTigers’ 31-yard line. The theft led to a 12-yard scoring run bySmith which erased a halftime deficit and gave the Panthers thelead at 19-14 as placekicker Elliott McKee split the uprights onthe PAT.

Smith would score again on the first play of the fourth quarter.His 3-yard plunge off right tackle and a Rancifer PAT pass to BudBritt hiked Brook’s lead to 27-14 with 11:56 left in the game.Smith finished with 123 rushing yards on 18 carries.