Martez Clark rushes for career-high 200 yards, touchdown

By Brad Greer

A South Panola defensive stand inside their own 20 in the final minute of the game preserved a 21-14 victory over Clinton High School Friday night at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium.

The Tigers earned its first Region 2-6A win of the season and improved to 6-1, while Clinton fell to 2-4 and 0-2 in region play.

South Panola visits Germantown High School in Gluckstadt Friday in another region tilt. The Mavericks fell 27-0 to Starkville Friday.

South Panola fell behind 7-0 early in the first quarter before quarterback Anterrio Draper threw for one touchdown and ran another.

The Tigers tied the game at 7-7 with 28 seconds left in the first quarter when Draper hit Ricky Farmer on a 11-yard strike, followed by Nathan Walls successful PAT.

Farmer was on the receiving end of three passes for 32 yards on the night.

Draper used his legs to give South Panola a 14-7 lead in the second quarter as he scampered 24 yards into the end zone to complete a four- play, 66-yard dive with Walls again booting the PAT.

South Panola added its final score with 26 seconds left in the half when Martez Clark plowed in from one yard out.

With Dandy Dozen running back Jenari Dean nursing a shoulder injury and out for a couple of weeks, Clark rushed for a career high 200 yards on 28 carries.

Draper finished the night with 109 yards on 12 totes to go along with 3-of-9 passing for 32 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions.

Clinton closed the margin to 21-14 with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter on a Jeremy Mack two-yard run.

South Panola out-gained the Arrows 341-244 on the night and held a 18-13 advantage in first downs. Clinton led in time of possession 28:08 to the Tigers 19:52.

The Tigers were penalized 10 times for 144 yards while Clinton was flagged three times for 230 yards.

Jaqualin Gillespie led the South Panola defense with eight tackles on the night. Anterrius Howard and Zach Brown added five tackles.

Jertielyan Chapman, Tra’Norwood and Jalen Kirby each provided four stops each with Norwood contributing with a quarterback sack.

Caleb Grayer and Howard each broke up two passes in the Tiger defensive secondary.