Cards pull away in fourth quarter

A penalty-plagued slugfest Friday night between two Marshall County football teams was not decided until the fourth quarter.

Potts Camp, up by just six points, padded its lead with two quick touchdowns to start the fourth quarter before celebrating a 34-12 victory. It was only the second time the schools had played each other in football, evening the series at 1-1 after the Byhalia Indians came out on top a year ago.

“I’m glad we pulled it out,” said Chris Daniels, head coach of the Cardinals. “The fourth quarter was the difference. We have to stop turning the ball over. We’ll take the win, but we have a lot to clean up.”

Potts Camp went up 6-0 with 9:42 left in the first quarter on Derrion Johnson’s 11-yard quarterback keeper.

Six minutes later, the Indians answered when Jaylan Rooks scored on a 2-yard plunge into the end zone.

After blocking a Byhalia punt in the second quarter, the Cardinals had a short field and cashed in when Johnson connected with Braxton Totten on a 22-yard pass play.

That 12-6 score held until Potts Camp tallied a pair of touchdowns at the 10:38 and 7:25 marks of the fourth quarter. The scores came on a 21-yard run by Johnson and a 17-yard carry by Jeff Curry. The Cardinals also converted both 2-point conversions, one by Curry and the other by Malachi Brownlee, to extend the lead to 28-6.

Byhalia did not quit. Ashtyn Dockery threw to Jalen Muse for a 9-yard touchdown.

Potts Camp capped the scoring on the final play of the game with an interception return by Totten.

“I told our boys that Byhalia would hit us in the mouth, and we would have to body blow them all night long,” Daniels said. “It was a physical football game.”

Flags hurt both teams throughout the contest.

Friday, the Cardinals (3-1) visit Coffeeville (13), and the Indians (2-2) host Holly Springs (2-1).