Rockets to face South Panola in 6A bout
The Neshoba Central Rockets advanced to second round of the Class 6A state football playoffs with a 41-14 win over Center Hill Thursday night.
The Rockets improved to 6-5 on the season. They travel to South Panola Friday night for a second round contest with the Tigers. South Panola comes in at 10-1 after beating Callaway 56-6 in their first round game.
Center Hill took the opening kickoff and drove in for a touchdown. The kick was good and the Mustangs led 7-0.
The Rockets took the ensuing kickoff and put together a scoring drive of their own. Quarterback Will Williams connected with Tryceton Thompson on a 24-yard touchdown pass. John Parker Hancock kicked the extra point and the game was tied at 7-7 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.
That’s how it stood until early in second quarter when Mehki Gaddis scored. The extra point try was no good and the Rockets led 13-7.
The Rockets scored again early in the second quarter on a 30-yard TD pass play from Williams to Charles Stevenson. The try for two failed and the Rockets led 19-7 with 9:37 left in the second quarter.
Gaddis scored again on a 12-yard run. Hancock kicked the extra point and the Rockets led 26-7. Center Hill scored again and at the break, the Rockets held a 26-14 lead.
Neshoba Central took control of the game in the third quarter. The Rockets took the kickoff and drove 70 yards for a touchdown Gaddis scored on a 15-yard run. The two point conversion try was good and the Rockets led 34-14.
Center Hill ran out of downs on its own 34 and the Rockets drove in for their final score of the night. Williams connected with Stevenson on a 44-yard TD pass play. Hancock’s kick was good and Rockets led 41-14 at the end of the third quarter. The Rockets finished with 159 rushing yards led by Gaddis with 152 yards. Williams completed 22-of-29 passes for 237 yards. Stevenson caught eight passes for 108 yards while Hawthorne caught eight passes for 68 yards. Zach Ruffin caught four passes for 49 yards.
Defensively, Jeremiah Kirk-Harris had nine tackles. Ahmarion Ragsdale, Will Huffman, Darrian Ragsdale, Demarkez West and Jalyas Winters all had seven tackles. Huffman recovered a fumble.