By Myra Bean

The North Panola Cougar team was not in the most upbeat mood Friday night. Quarterback Martavius Butler’s mother had died Wednesday at the age of 32 from a long illness, but he gave a valiant effort in the cause.

Butler completed eight of 17 passes for 105 yards.

North Panola has one game left in its season to avoid a complete winless season as they lost to Center Hill 51-6 Friday night. The frustration mounted on the field and in the crowd. The officials dismissed one Cougar from the game on back-to-back unsportsmanlike penalties with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

Then the line judge on the North Panola side claimed a fan was saying something unsportsmanlike and had that person forcibly removed from the stands.

The Cougars avoided the shut out on a Ricky Hunt 91-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. Hunt dodged some defenders on the inside and broke to the ride and toed the line for the touchdown.

Center Hill (8-2 overall, 4-1 district) will compete with Senatobia for second place in the district next Friday night. The Mustangs’ only loss was to Lafayette County 42-28.

Center Hill took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter on a 47-yard touchdown pass and a 42-yard touchdown run and two extra-point kicks.

The Mustangs went on a brutal scoring spree in the second quarter when they scored on a 31-yard field goal, and three runs for 18, 81 and 31 yards for a 38-6 halftime lead. The Mustangs scored on a 41 yard run in the third quarter. Center Hill had refused to make yards on its last possession and took a knee and turned the ball over on downs.

However, North Panola went to the air with the ball and Center Hill intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown with 2:03 left in the game for the final score.

The Cougars were limited to 191 total offensive yards while the Mustangs racked up 489.

North Paonla had 136 passing yards and 55 on the ground. Center Hill had 442 rushing yards.

Hunt, who was selected an all-star last week, racked up 357-purpose yards including 31 passing, 59 rushing, 45 receiving, 111 punting and 141 kickoff return yards. He had one completed pass, seven carries and three receptions.

Martez Hooks had two carries for 10 yards, followed by Christopher Conner with six yards on two carries.

Cordarius Salter had 53 receiving yards on three catches, followed by Calvin Smith with one reception for 31 yards; Cedric Clay three yards on one catch and Willie Hibbler, four yards on one catch.

Devontay Harris, Hooks and Clay each had one kickoff return each for five yards.

The Cougars will close out the season hosting district opponent Byhalia (3-7 overall, 0-5 district). Byhalia, who will also close out the season, lost to Montgomery County 32-20 Friday in non-conference action. Kickoff is 7 p.m.