MOSS POINT – The Moss Point Tigers racked up 378 yards (269yards rushing) of total offense Friday night at Dantzler Stadium inthe opening round of the South State 5A playoffs. The Tigers tookadvantage of 5 Ole Brook turnovers and claimed a 43-24 win over thePanthers before an estimated 3,900 fans.

With the win by the Tigers, the Region 4-5A champions improvedto 10-2 overall. Moss Point hosts Picayune in the second round ofthe South State 5A playoffs Friday.

Brookhaven, the No. 4-seed in Region 3-5A, concludes its seasonat 5-6.

“We got down early in the game, and a very fine Brookhaven teamhad something to do with it,” said Moss Point head coach LewisSims. “We were nervous when we came out to get the game. We had notwon a playoff game since 2007.”

The Tigers were unsuccessful with their first 2 drives of thegame. A missed field goal and a fumble recovery by the Panthers’Cordai Henderson thwarted those potential threats.

The Panthers took advantage with a 4-play, 40-yard march, thatconcluded with a Duwone Harris 22 yard touchdown run. The PAT kickfailed and Ole Brook led 6-0 with 2 minutes left in the openingstanza.

The Tigers responded in the second quarter on a 4-play, 42-yarddrive following a 16-yard punt by the Panthers. Quarterback JoeKirkland hit Darius Stallworth with a 7-yard scoring strike. JasonLoris tacked on the first of 4 PAT kicks with 7:05 left in thefirst half.

Brookhaven took the ensuing kickoff and quickly moved 57 yardsin 3 plays to regain a 12-7 advantage. Harris found TravorisShowers with a 5-yard touchdown pass halfway through the second.Harris set up the score with a 48-run from the Panther 43.

Moss Point bounced back quickly with a Byron James 5-yardtouchdown run and a Quayshuan Williams 2-point conversion run; a34-yard field goal from Jason Loris and a Kevin Richardson sack ofHarris for a safety. The Tigers would carry a 20-12 lead into thehalftime locker room.

“We got off to a good start, and then made a few mistakes,” saidOle Brook head coach Tucker Peavey. “We were unable to make theplays when we needed to.”

Ole Brook lost senior running back Semmie Smith for the game,after suffering a knee injury on a kickoff return following James’second quarter touchdown.

“It’s unfortunate that Smith got hurt,” Coach Sims commented. “Ithought that was the turning point in the game. He (Semmie) is afine running back. Peavey is blessed to have him.”

In the third, the Tigers got an 85-yard interception return fromTelvis Henderson and a 34-field goal from Loris; quickly expandingtheir lead to 30-12. It was Henderson’s second theft on thenight.

Peavey’s squad got a Harris to E.J. Henderson scoring strikefrom 10 yards out as time expired at the end of the third. Harris’throw hit Showers around the 4-yard line; bounced off his hands andinto Henderson’s waiting clutches. Brookhaven trailed 30-18entering the final period.

“That was a huge play for them,” said Coach Sims. “We thoughtthat the momentum was going to shift back to Brookhaven at thatpoint. “We knew coming in that we had to stop the run.”

Moss Point tacked on a pair of Reggie Matthews touchdown runs,before the Panthers got a 1-yard Isaiah White scoring plunge with1:29 left in the game.

“We just couldn’t finish drives in the second half,” said CoachPeavey following the game. “I’m proud that the guys didn’t quit;never giving up.”

Moss Point forced 5 Panther turnovers, scoring of 4 of themiscues. James topped the Tiger offense with 169 yards on 24rushes.

For the Panthers, Harris was the workhorse with 115 yards on 19carries. Showers topped the receivers with 41 yards on 3receptions.

On the defensive side, Cordai Henderson was in on 16 tackles;followed by Shamonte Brooks who was in on 13 stops. CordaiHenderson and Austin Barnett each had a fumble recovery. ThesisCooper had a sack.