Pearl River Wildcats defeat Southwest Beats with a final score of 24-16!
After three straight games on the road, the Pearl River Wildcats returned home to Dobie Holden Stadium for their Week Five matchup against Southwest Mississippi.
Pearl River wasted little time making an impact. Quarterback Jackson Firmin dropped back and launched a deep pass toward Kevon’te Landry. Landry got a hand on the ball, but Cory Jackson came down with the incredible catch to move the chains for the Wildcats. Pearl River capitalized on the momentum one play later. Firmin faked the handoff, rolled to his right and pitched the ball to D.K. Wallace, who dove into the end zone for a Wildcat touchdown. The extra point was good, giving Pearl River an early 7-0 lead.
Southwest Mississippi answered on its next possession. Hancock product Kaison Koenenn connected with Anson Lewis Jr. for a big gain and a fresh set of downs. Shortly after, Koenenn handed the ball to Ronde Baker, who broke a tackle and turned on the speed for a Southwest Mississippi touchdown. The score was tied at 7 with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Pearl River responded once again. Firmin faced early pressure but kept the play alive, finding D.K. Wallace on a throw on the run. Wallace did the rest, cutting across the field from the sideline to midfield for a huge gain. Firmin then finished the drive himself, faking the handoff and darting into the end zone to put the Wildcats back in front, 14-7, early in the second quarter.
The Pearl River defense came up with a big stop in the second half, holding the Bears at midfield and forcing a fourth-down attempt. Koenenn, however, showed off his dual-threat ability, escaping through the trenches and taking the ball all the way to the end zone for a Southwest Mississippi touchdown. The missed extra point kept Pearl River ahead 14-13.
From there, the Wildcat defense took over. Pearl River held Southwest Mississippi to 13 points the rest of the way while the Wildcats added 10 more points on offense to pull away.
The Wildcats secured the 24-13 victory, returning home with a Week Five win at Dobie Holden Stadium. They now face East Central Community College for Week Six.
