TALLULAH — Up 27-9 midway through the fourth quarter against Porters Chapel, Tallulah Academy put on the cruise control.

It was too soon.

The Eagles mounted a furious rally with just over nine minutes remaining, as quarterback Colby Rushing scored a pair of short touchdowns. But Tallulah’s Hunter Franks fell on an onsides kick with 13.5 seconds remaining to preserve a 27-23 victory on Friday.

“We could have given up, but we fought back,” PCA coach Bill Fleming said. “Take away three plays and a bad call by me and our guys win this game.”

Three plays decided the contest.

The first of the pivotal plays, after the Eagles took a 2-0 first-quarter lead on a safety by Zach Rachal’s tackle of Cody Landrem in the end zone, was a breakdown in coverage. Jes Shivers took advantage, lobbing a 23-yard strike to favorite target John Robert Fortenberry to put Tallulah up 8-2 after Shivers scored on the two-point conversion.

The second pivotal play came after PCA wrested back the lead at 9-8 after a 19-yard rushing score by John Michael Harris.

Shivers ran back the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to set up the Trojans at the 12-yard line and two plays later, Shivers took it in himself to put Tallulah up 14-9 going into the locker.

In the third quarter, it’d be all Trojans.

After PCA turned over the ball on downs, the Tallulah offense took over at the PCA 42. Three plays later, Shivers scored his second touchdown of the night, an 11-yard scamper over left tackle, to put the Trojans up 20-9 after Cody Isaac took the give up the gut for a two-point conversion.

The third and final            crucial play occurred with PCA driving. Tallulah elected to go for it on fourth down and PCA stopped the Trojans and got the ball on downs near midfield.

On the next play, Rushing was intercepted by Todd Harrell, who returned it 45 yards to paydirt to put Tallulah up 27-9 with 9:32 remaining after Tandon Baker’s extra point.

However, the fire hardly went out on the PCA sideline.

“After they went up 27-9, everybody dug deep,” Rushing said. “Everybody brought it. Every one gave everything they had. I’m proud of them.”

On the next PCA drive, two 15-yard penalties gave the Eagles excellent field position and Rushing took advantage, hitting Andrew Wall and Reed Gordon for a pair of completions. He capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge, with Montana McDaniel passing to Gordon for the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 27-15 with 6:50 remaining.

“I thought we put on the cruise control too quick,” Weaver said. “Fumbles and penalties killed us.”

Then Tallulah did the unthinkable, as a pitch to Isaac went awry and PCA recovered deep in Tallulah territory. Rushing hit McDaniel with a pair of quick strikes and scored from four yards out with 16.4 seconds remaining.

Hazlehurst 24, Hinds AHS 7

Hinds AHS got a big night from running back Darius Newton, but squandered it with four turnovers in a 24-7 loss to Hazlehurst in its season-opener on Friday.

Newton carried the ball 22 times for 244 yards. Four lost fumbles, however, proved costly. Wide receiver Chris Perkins caught two touchdown passes for Hazlehurst.

Javonte Robinson tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Dowlin for Hinds’ only score.

The War Dawgs will play at Port Gibson next week.

Briarfield 51, Union Christian 0

Jacob Hopkins rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries, and also threw two touchdown passes as Briarfield Academy hammered Union Christian.

Hopkins scored on runs of 60 and 42 yards, and tossed scoring passes of 22 and 28 yards to Ridge Creech. Wily Brown added 82 yards and two TDs on the ground.

The Rebels amassed over 400 rushing yards and led 30-0 at halftime.

Sharkey-Issaquena 25, North Sunflower 15

Abbott Hodnett scored on runs of 3, 15 and 2 yards and Caleb Joiner hit Jacob Boyd with a 39-yard strike as Sharkey-Issaquena won its opener, hammering North Sunflower.

North Sunflower’s Kevin Mootzi scored on a 6-yard run and Tyler Mootzi scored on a 13-yard run right before the final horn.

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Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com