After flying high against Meridian last Friday, Petal came back down to earth. The Panthers fell 34-28 to the Northwest Rankin Cougars on Thursday. The Panthers were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Cougars apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in November of 2024.
Northwest Rankin got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jermany Hayden out in front who rushed for 60 yards and three scores, and also picked up 32 receiving yards. Hayden has become a key player for the Cougars: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns, but 2-3 otherwise. Marco Stapleton was another key player, rushing for 53 yards and one TD.
Petal's loss dropped their record down to 7-4. As for Northwest Rankin, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-4 record this season.
Petal and Northwest Rankin are set to take part in some playoff action in their next matches. The Panthers will square off against D'Iberville at 7:00 p.m. on the 14th. As for Northwest Rankin, they will face off against Gulfport at 7:00 p.m. on the 14th. The Cougars will need to watch out since the Admirals have now posted at least 31 points in their last seven games.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
