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Panthers’ late surge buries Hawks By BARRY BURLESON
Editor  | Photos by Barry Burleson
Following his blocker
Holly High running back Terrian Pool (19) takes advantage of a block by a teammate for a good gain. |
Holly Springs and Coahoma County were scoreless for more than half of Friday night’s game at Sam Coopwood Park. Then things changed, and not in the Hawks’ favor. The
Panthers, starting with a 45-yard run by quarterback Adrian Hunter
midway through the third quarter, got five touchdowns in a 14-minute
span and blanked Holly High 36-0. “We played
pretty good in the first half and actually had them on the ropes
some,” said coach Marcus Autry. “We played hard; we just couldn’t
finish. That will come with just playing and maturing.” Hunter
was the sparkplug for the visitors. He scored three of the touchdowns,
starting with the game-changer on a fourth and two with 6:55 left in
the third. Hunter then went 48 yards for a score
with 4:46 to go in the third and 75 yards for six more points at the
2:20 mark of the quarter. The Panthers were two of three on two-point
conversions, both on runs by Hunter. The Hawks’ deficit was suddenly
22-0. A struggling Holly High offense managed
just one first down in the third. It came on a 31-yard toss from
Brandon McKinney to Jaren King. Coahoma County
padded its advantage with 7:50 left in the game. Cedric Blue scored on
an 11-yard run. The Holly High defense foiled the two-point try. The
visitors’ final score came on a 10-yard carry by Damian Blue with 4:39
to go. Hunter threw to Damian Brown for the two-point conversion. Coahoma County improved to 4-1. “We still have a long way to go,” Coach Autry said. “We have to get fundamentally sound.” The Hawks (1-3) host Broad Street this Friday night before starting district play the following Friday, Oct. 1, at Independence.  | Takedown
Hawks Joe Isom (12) and Michael Perkins (55) tackle a Panther. |
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