Ole Brook Panthers sack Port Gibson
Published 5:00 am Tuesday, October 25, 2005
PORT GIBSON — Ole Brook junior running back Charles Wilsonvirtually owned Port Gibson in the third quarter Friday night atBlue Wave Stadium in Claiborne County. His 8 carries for 125 yardsin the period aided the Panthers to a resounding 51-8 victory overthe Port Gibson Blue Waves in a key Region 6-4A battle.
Brookhaven improves to 4-3 overall and 4-1 in the region. PortGibson falls to 1-6 and 0-4. With the win, Ole Brook has clinched aplayoff berth for the fourth straight year.
Brookhaven steps out of Region 6-4A play to host the KosciuskoWhippets at King Field Friday night, for a 7 p.m. kickoff in thefinal home game of the season. Port Gibson hosts Region 6-4A leaderMendenhall.
The game got started with Port Gibson throwing an interceptionits initial possession. Ole Brook responded on their opening drivewith a fumble of their own. The Blue Wave answered the Panthermiscue with a fumble on the first play of their second drive.
“We don’t want to make turnovers,” said Panther head coachTucker Peavey. “It was a good win for us. Our execution was goodtonight.”
Ole Brook took advantage of the second Blue Wave turnover at the2:19 mark of the first frame, when sophomore quarterback Charles(Bobo) Rancifer called his own number from 1 yard out. Juniorkicking specialist Will Thibodeaux kicked the first-of-6 successfulPAT kicks, for a 7-0 lead. Rancifer’s 26-yard pass to tight endSimmie Yarborough on 3rd and 15 from the Blue Wave 35 was the keyin the march.
Rancifer completed 7 of 9 passes for 141 yards in the game.
Rancifer found Yarborough with a 9-yard strike in the endzoneearly in the second quarter. Senior Anthony Caffie, who lined up atwide receiver, found paydirt from 10 yards away with 1:30 left inthe first half, as Ole Brook held a 21-0 cushion at theintermission break.
“We controlled the clock in the first half,” said first yearhead coach Harry Brown II. “The ball just did not bounce our waytonight.”
Brown was referring to the Blue Wave’s 15 to 9 advantage in timeof possession in the first 24 minutes. Port Gibson held a 29-19margin for the game.
It seemed as if Wilson took over in the third period, scoring onruns of 3, 17 and 53 yards, as the Panthers entered the finalstanza with 41-0 lead. Wilson led all runners with 184 yards on 19rushes.
Sophomore split end Jake Williams kept 2 of Wilson’s touchdowndrives alive with 37 and 36-yard catches for first downs. Williamsled all receivers in the game with 3 catches for 83 yards.
Brown’s Blue Wave got on the scoreboard with 1:35 left in thegame when quarterback Thomas Massey found wideout Tyler Stradfordwith a 20-yard scoring strike. Massey passed to Denzel Marbley forthe 2-point conversion try.
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Marlon Dixon put the icing on thecake. He fielded the kick at his own 19 and did not stop until hereached the goal line.
Thibodeaux also added a 34-yard field goal early in thefourth.
“Outside of the turnovers early, we played as close to a perfectgame as we could get,” added Peavey.
Defensively, Ole Brook got a team-leading 10stops from junior defensive lineman Bart Sias. Larry Wintersfollowed with 9 tackles. Dixon and Caffie were each in on 7tackles. Winters and Josh Witherspoon combined for a sack. Fumblerecoveries were made by Dixon, R. J. Jenkins and Jerome Avery.Caffie and Avery each picked off a Blue Wave pass.