Hornets popped

Sports

February 20, 2013

Hornets popped

By Curtis Rockwell, Sports Editor Wayne County News Picayune Item Wed Feb 20, 2013, 01:29 PM CST

POPLARVILLE — For the first time in 17 years, the Poplarville boys basketball team hosted a state playoff game Tuesday night.

Visiting Quitman wasn't impressed with the rare feat, however.

The Panthers jumped out to a 15-1 lead and never looked back, hammering the Hornets 79-45 in the opening round of the Class 4A South State playoffs.

Quitman, now 21-7, moves on to the South State Tournament in Columbia beginning Thursday night, while Poplarville wraps up the season at 13-14. It was the first home playoff game for the Hornets since 1996.

"We kind of came out with that deer-in-the-headlights kinda look," first year Hornet head coach Chareck Cable said. "Our kids have never been here before, and we were facing an athletic and physical team. We just didn't handle it very well."

The Hornets missed their first eight shots from the field and turned the ball over six times as Quitman raced out to the commanding early lead. Poplarville was just 2-of-12 from the field in the first quarter, and trailed 19-6 entering the second stanza.

Trailing 28-6 two minutes into the period, the Hornets went on a 9-0 run that included a 3-point play by Rojae Raine and a pair of baskets by Anthony Martin to cut the deficit to 28-15 with three minutes to play before intermission.

But Quitman responded, and went into halftime up 35-19. Poplarville never got closer than 15 points in the second half.

"They play a real physical game, and we just never adjusted to it," Cable added. "And we couldn't make any shots early, and they got a big lead that we never could recover from."

Raine paced Poplarville with 15 points, while Martin chipped in eight points. Hornet center Emetric Fells had six blocked shots and six rebounds in the losing effort.

Darius Hicks scored 22 to pace the Panthers, while DaQuan Stanley chipped in 21 points.

It was the first postseason appearance for the Hornets in four years. Poplarville has no seniors on its roster.

"We are young, and I hope we can learn from it," Cable concluded. "They see now what type of effort it takes to compete in the district tournament and in the playoffs. They realize we have to work hard and play with intensity on every possession."

Text Only

Sports

Wildcats tring to win Region 23 title
Host Pearl River opened Region 23 Tournament play in dominating fashion here Thursday in Wildcat Stadium, demolishing top-seeded East Central 12-1 in eight innings and now faces second-seeded LSU-Eunice (La.) in Friday’s second round at 7 p.m.

May 18, 2013
Panther pitcher shuts out Maroon Tide
Pascagoula’s Andrew Crane continued his dominance of Picayune Thursday night.

May 17, 2013
Season ends for Lady Hornets
Poplarville's season came to and end in the Class 4A South state finals Tuesday night.
The visiting Lady Hornets fell to Newton County 10-2 in game two of the best-of-three series.

May 16, 2013
Lady Hornets face Newton County
Two more wins, and Poplarville will be playing for the Class 4A state championship in fast-pitch softball.
The Lady Hornets have a chance at getting that first victory today.

May 11, 2013
Polderman’s, Mitchell win titles
The Picayune Maroon Tide and the Pearl River Central Blue Devils both competed in the Class 5A South State track and field championships this past Saturday at Long Beach High School.

May 8, 2013
Tide sweeps; Devils swept
Picayune finished the regular season nine games under the break even mark.
But, four games into the Class 5A South State playoffs. the Maroon Tide is unbeaten.

May 7, 2013
Lady Hornets beat North Pike
Poplarville is moving on to the Class 4A South State finals.
The Lady Hornets swept the best-of-three semifinal series with North Pike, completing the affair with a 2-0 road win Monday night.

May 7, 2013
Tide sweeps; Devils swept
Picayune swept Pearl to advance in the Class 5A South State prep baseball playoffs over the weekend while Pearl River Central got swept by Stone County.

May 5, 2013
Lady Hornets stop North Pike 10-0
Poplarville remained unbeaten in the Class 4A South State fast-pitch prep softball playoffs Friday night.

May 4, 2013
Playoffs resume on diamond
Pearl River’s Lady Wildcats will take on Itawamba’s Lady Indians at 2 p.m. Saturday in opening-round action of the MACJC State Softball Tournament at South Division champ Mississippi Gulf Coast CC in Perkinston.

May 2, 2013
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Hornets popped

Site Map

Contact Us