Raleigh rides Perkins past Wesson in MHSAA 3A third round
Published 8:39 am Saturday, November 19, 2022
In senior running back Suntarine Perkins, the Raleigh Lions (12-1) have one of the best football players in all of Mississippi.
Friday, in a MHSAA 3A third round matchup, Perkins scored four rushing touchdowns to pace Raleigh in a 56-28 victory over the visiting Wesson Cobras (7-6).
As good as Perkins and Raleigh are, Wesson didn’t back down from the challenge for an inch — despite the Lions going up 7-0 early on a Perkin’s run.
The score was answered immediately when Wesson freshman O’Mari Johnson returned the kickoff for a score.
Patrick Coleman booted the PAT kick and Wesson tied the game at 7-7.
Perkins saw that score and answered back with an 80-yard touchdown run of his own.
He then later added another first quarter score, this one going for 85-yards.
The busy Perkins also kicks point after tries for Raleigh.
Wesson kept it a one-score game with a touchdown pass from senior Will Loy to wideout Deshawn Smith as Raleigh led 20-14 after the first quarter.
The Lions had pushed that lead out to 34-14 by halftime, but Wesson kept plugging and scored quickly to start the third quarter.
Sophomore Wyatt Garrett scored on a 40-yard rushing touchdown after also scoring in the second half last week against Tylertown.
The Cobras also got a passing score from Loy to Johnson that covered 35 yards in the third quarter.
Next up for Raleigh is a 3A semifinal game against Hazlehurst next Friday. Hazlehurst (12-1) beat Magee (8-4) 32-14 in the third round.
Raleigh is the only team to beat Hazlehurst this season and did so 36-34 on Oct. 27. The other 3A semifinal will pit Amory (11-1) against Noxubee County (9-4).