For most teams, dropping back-to-back games in region play would cause reason to hit the panic button. That’s not the case for Hattiesburg.
The Tigers, who for the second week in a row were without running back Jaquez Andrews, put up a resilient fight in their 49-38 loss to undefeated Picayune.
“I was super proud of our kids with the way they came out and competed,” Hattiesburg coach Tony Vance said. “We are not celebrating the loss, but I was proud of the way they competed with having a loss the week before.
“We still have things to clean up. Three turnovers leave off at least 21 points. There is no doubt that was the difference in the ball game.”
While Hattiesburg’s division remains competitive, Vance believes his team’s no-quit attitude is important for the final stretch of games. Currently, the Tigers are one game behind staying in playoff contention.
“I think that’s the mark of our team,” Vance said. “When we talk about the Hattiesburg Tigers, we are not going to quit or lay down. We are going to fight for four quarters, and if it takes longer than that, then that’s what we’ll do. Kudos to our players and coaches. We have a great group of guys that are not going to quit. That’s all we can ask that of them.
“If you look from top to bottom of our division, there is not a weak team in our division to where we can say that’s an easy win. That’s a big part of us. We have to worry about Hattiesburg and continue to compete and get better each week. That’s what we have to focus on. We have to try and peak at the right time.”
This week, Hattiesburg (3-3, 1-2) will get a chance to bounce back against Pearl River Central. The Blue Devils (3-3, 1-2) snapped a three-game losing streak last week to last place Long Beach in a 28-7 win. However, PRC’s offense has struggled as the group has averaged just 15 points a game, with last week’s win being the season high in points scored.
“They are just a real gritty football team that is going to play hard,” Vance said. “They are going to execute what they do offensively and defensively. They are going to be where they are supposed to be and doing what they are supposed to do. They are going to play as hard as anybody we play all year.
“I think the running backs without a doubt are their go-to guys. They have struggled some, but they have had some success offensively too. You can’t be caught with your eyes not being where they are supposed to be. If you do, then they will make you pay. It’ll be another physical ball game. They’ll be where they are supposed to be, and we have to take care of our assignments.”
The Blue Devils have had success on defense and have held teams to 22 points per game.
“Defensively, they are going to be a 3-3 stack team,” Vance said. “The linebackers do a great job of playing the run and playing the pass. They are pretty solid all the way around.
“Every week in division play is critical. We want to keep our playoff hopes alive. We have to win this one. We have to take care of this one and focus just one week at a time.”
