Tigers have to fend off much improved Horn Lake team

By Brad Greer
Things are about to get real for the South Panola football team as from tonight on, everything counts.
Fresh off their 34-10 manhandling of MUS (Memphis University School) last week, the Tigers open up District 1-6A play as they visit a surprising Horn Lake Eagle squad in a 7 p.m kickoff.
Horn Lake,(3-0) will be looking to break a four-decade long losing streak to South Panola as the Eagles last defeated the Tigers 7-6 in 1972 when both teams were members in the Chickasaw Conference.
The Eagles will rely on a run-heavy offense that has produced 219 yards rushing per game. Horn Lake has been impressive so far in the early stages of the season by out-scoring their opponents 144-36.
Horn Lake opened the 2017 campaign with a 56-14 rout of Shannon before soundly defeating Charleston 40-8 . The Eagles blitzed Lake Cormorant 48-14 last week in which they led 35-7 after one quarter of play.
Junior running back Tyler Grim (5’10”-192) leads the Horn Lake offense with ten touchdowns on the year as fellow junior Raydarius Jones ( 6’2”-160) calls signals under center. Junior linebacker Nakobe Dean (6’1”-221) spearheads the defensive unit.
Horn Lake will have its hands full going up against a stiff South Panola defense that hasn’t given up 100 yards rushing in its last three games. The Tiger offense has been equally impressing after rolling up a season-high 428 yards last week against MUS.
South Panola (4-1) is led on the offensive line by Thomas Turner, Lacory Pegues, Brandon Johnson, Jamaul Lofton and Terrick Bibbs. Senior quarterback Patrick Shegog accounted for 327 yards and four touchdowns against the Owls. Running back Quin Bradford tallied two touchdowns with one rushing and another receiving.
A pair of sophomores continue their stellar play for the Tiger defense as Jaqualin Gillespie recorded eight tackles for the third straight game. Corner back Caleb Grayer collected a season-high five tackles to go along with one pass break up.
Lakendrick Willingham also posted a personal best of seven tackles last week while Robert Hentz registered three tackles-for-loss.