By Angie Ledbetter

If you paid the $6 to get in to see them play, then you more than likely got your money’s worth as the 2009 South Panola Tigers took to the football field to showcase their young and talented team shutting down Ridgeland 42-0 Thursday night in Robert H. Dunlap stadium.

With about 70 team members, only 16 are seniors. The upcoming team is very young according to Head Coach Lance Pogue.

Showing their talent was senior Nicholas Parker who scored a seven-yard touchdown for the first score of the game. Junior Kendrick Market threw a 30-yard pass to junior Marcus Henry for a touchdown. Junior Nicholas Brassell intercepted a pass in the second quarter. Senior Dominique Carouthers scored an eight-yard touchdown.

“I was really pleased from when we started practice back in late April to now,” Pogue said. “We only get 15 days for spring practice. From the first day until now, I think we have greatly improved. We’re playing so many youthful kids. We’re not going to have a lot of seniors so we’re going to be inexperienced but I think we’re going to be very talented. When you have that much youth on a team, you have to grow up early in a hurry. I feel like we’re on schedule. I think we’re going to be a real good physical team with a lot of speed.”

Showing their abilities at the quarterback position were juniors Lee Self and Kendrick Market.

“They’re a different type of quarterback and we’re going to play them both,” Pogue said. “We have to give them the best opportunity to be successful in their own ability. Both of them provide a lot of positives things for our team. We’re going to try and do the best that we can and utilize their ability.”

One other junior who shined in the game that fans have not seen a lot of was Qyendairs Griffin. Griffin scored 48, 20 and 30 yard touchdowns. He also had an interception and assisted in a sack.

“He played some for us as a sophomore so he is going to start as a linebacker on defense and he will be one of our running backs,” said Pogue. “I think he has a chance at being a great player. I’m really anxious to see him take that next step this summer and come into the fall.

“A lot of people don’t know about him (Griffin),” Pogue continued. “He is a big guy that can run and can make us a better football team. We’ve got a lot of running backs. Obviously, everybody talks about Nicholas Parker because he is a great player. We have a lot of other running backs that we feel are quality.”

Of the 16 seniors, only five will start right now, according to Pogue.

“We’re very talented but it’s going to be juniors and sophomores. They’re inexperienced but there is no quick fix for inexperience other than getting in the door and letting them play. I’m really excited about our young players. The future is bright for them.”

Coming out of the spring game, Pogue was glad the players got a game situation under their belts.

“Now the biggest thing this summer is we have to come back, hit the weights, try to get stronger and try to get ourselves in the position to be in tip top shape. I think if we do that, its going to really put us ahead when practice starts in August. We can then start working on the fundamentals of the game and that’s what you have to do with young players.”

After the game, Pogue talked to the players about three steps that were very important. The first one was grades.

“Final grades are going on and I want them to finish school out in the very best manner as possible and make the best grades they can. We’ve greatly improved our academics. In a two year period since I came here, we’ve come overall from a 1.75 grade point average as a football team and now we have a chance to finish here with a 3.0 overall. That’s something that I’m very proud of.”

The second step was to focus on what to do this summer and how hard to work.

“I told them that we’re going to have to have a great work ethic this summer.”

The third step was how they were to handle themselves this summer on a daily basis. Pogue told them to keep their noses clean.

“We’re trying to improve our character and head down the right direction. We’re going to try and tie all those things in together and at the same time, compete for a championship.”

The question arose whether the guys are working harder because they lost the state championship game and they want to win?

“You can look at that a lot of different ways. We just got beat by a really good football team. If someone can use that for extra motivation individually, then they can. But our goal is, it’s a brand new season and there is going to be a whole lot of brand new players on the field that didn’t even play last year. My focus is for this team to be the best they can be. That’s the driving force of the whole operation.”