Friday evening in Carriere began with the presentation of the 2014 Pearl River Central High School homecoming court. Haley Nicole Watkins was crowned queen and was escorted across the football field by her father Reese. Pearl River Central Superintendent Alan Lumpkin placed the glittering crown atop Haley’s head.
After the homecoming festivities, the shutout game between the Blue Devils and South Jones began.
The Devils took an early lead in the first quarter with a touchdown by running back Christian Roberts with seven minutes on the clock. Roberts did it again by catching a 34-yard touchdown pass, which brought the score 14-0 Devils.
With less than four minutes to go in the first quarter, South Jones quarterback Shane Barnes, was sacked and lay on the field almost motionless. Officials ejected the Devils line backer David Salser from the ball game for a personal foul. Devils Coach Eric Collins said the officials must have seen something he didn’t.
“Our guy was playing hard,” Collins said. “They called it a flagrant foul.”
Barnes was taken from the field by ambulance.
Devils running back Christian Roberts kept his touchdown streak alive in the second quarter with another score in the second quarter. The extra point was no good.
At halftime the score was 20 to 0, Blue Devils.
The second half started off with a bang as defensive back Dalton Howe ran the ball for a 91-yard touchdown in the first 20 seconds of the third quarter, bringing PRC up to 27 to 0.
With seven minutes left in the quarter, PRC running back Mike Tatman ran the ball into the end zone. The score was 33 to 0, Blue Devils.
With less than 3 minutes in the third quarter, Devils’ quarterback Terek Whitehead ran the ball 74-yards for a touchdown. The Devils were up by 40 points to South Jones’ zero.
With four minutes left in the game, PRC running back Dallas Taylor ran the ball in for a four-yard touchdown.
With less than five seconds left in the game, defensive back Austin Champagne scored the final touchdown of the night.
The final score was Pearl River Central 54, South Jones, 0.
“I’m always glad to win our Homecoming game,” Collins said. “It was a great all around effort.”
The next Devils game will be October 10 in Laurel at 7 p.m.