Petal dropped its first game of the season in a 20-16 loss to Columbia last week.
Although the Panthers made a fourth-quarter comeback against the reigning 4A state champions, Petal coach Allen Glenn was not pleased with his team’s overall performance.
Petal’s run game put up 252 rushing yards, with Corey Toole leading the team with 90 yards and a touchdown.
“Columbia made more plays than we did,” Glenn said. “It was a game of back-and-forth in the turnover battle. We turned it over more than they did. I think we ended up with about five turnovers. I think they had three. When you turn the ball over five times, you aren’t going to beat anybody, so I was disappointed in that phase of the game. I just didn’t think we played up to our standard.
“I thought defensivly we played really well all night. With all that being said we had a chance at the end of the game to drive down and have an opportunity to win a ball game.”
This week the Panthers will play another tough team as they host Laurel which comes off a surprising 13-10 loss to Mendenhall. Laurel had started the season with a 47-23 win over Meridian and a 43-42 win over D’Iberville.
“I know they had a little hiccup on Friday night, but they played a really good Mendenhall team,” Glenn said. “I think Laurel is playing well right now.”
The Tornados’ offense features several talented pieces and includes two Division I offensive linemen with Malik Ellis, who is committed to Mississippi State and is rated a three-star recruit. The other is Malachi Breland, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 340 pounds, and holds offers from Memphis, Missouri and Arkansas State.
“They are just a team full of speed,” Glenn said. “They are good on the offensive line. The quarterback is a dynamic player, and the running back is a really dynamic player. Their offensive line will be one of the better offensive lines we play all year, and then defensively, we feel like they really pursue the football. Their speed really pops out on film.”
Another critical piece of Laurel’s offense is running back Caden Arrington, who ran for 209 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Meridian.
“(Arrington) is just a guy that can score from anywhere on the field,” Glenn said. “They definitely pose a big test for us. We’ve got to make sure that we’re in the right places defensively. We have got to play with a lot of effort and be on that side of the ball.
“(On defense) they are very fast. They have good players on the back end. They’re bigger guys. They have big guys on the defensive front, and their linebackers are physical. They are a complete football team.”
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
