Eagles trounce Park Place, get playoff spot

Published 1:32 am Saturday, October 25, 2014

Porters Chapel Academy had it all Friday night — its first victory in more than two months, outstanding performances across the board and, best of all, an unlikely playoff berth to top it all off.

Zac Morgan threw two touchdown passes, Logan Pickering ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns, and the Eagles finished the regular season with a 44-0 rout of Park Place Christian.

PCA (2-7) snapped its seven-game losing streak and also secured a spot as a wild-card team in the MAIS Class A playoff bracket. The first-round matchups will be announced today.

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PCA’s losing streak, which included a pair of district losses, had seemed to crush the team’s playoff hopes. But the MAIS power point system rewarded them for playing a challenging schedule and allowed them to overtake several other struggling teams for a wild card berth.

“The players are extremely excited. When you have a schedule like we did, a win any way you get it is good,” coach Wayne Lynch said. “They’ll come to practice Monday with a little extra pep in their step. We know it’s an uphill battle, but at least we have a chance and got that excitement back.”

Morgan was 4-of-4 passing for 76 yards and two touchdowns on Friday night, while Pickering, Taylor Rushing and Hunter Lyons each ran for a touchdown.

PCA totaled 300 rushing yards as a team. Rushing finished with 87 yards on only four carries, and Lyons had 70 yards.

Eric Jackson caught a 19-yard touchdown pass and also returned an interception 75 yards for a score.

In all, PCA picked off four passes and registered six sacks. Michael Croisdale led the defensive effort with eight tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Tallulah Academy 16, Clinton Christian 14

Mason Todd scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 9-yard run late in the third quarter, and Tallulah Academy (7-1, 4-1 District 8-A) beat Clinton Christian (7-3, 3-1) to clinch a playoff berth in its first season of eight-man football.

Todd also threw a 20-yard TD pass to Dakota Cone in the second quarter.

SIA 34, Calhoun Academy 6

Jack Martin threw two touchdown passes, and Austin Steed scored three touchdowns as Sharkey-Issaquena Academy (10-0) remained undefeated with a rout of Calhoun Academy (4-5).

Victor Villareal and Cole Delaney also ran for scores for SIA, which has won 24 straight games.