Travis Bendolph Jr. (Mobile, Ala.; Theodore) bats down a pass at East Central (ECCC Athletics).
POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The Pearl River football team will be in for a challenge Thursday night as the Wildcats travel to Perkinston to take on their archrival No. 4 Gulf Coast. Both teams are off to 2-0 starts in South Division play.
The teams certainly aren’t strangers to one another, as Thursday’s meeting will be the 102nd all-time meeting between the teams, with Pearl River leading the series 56-44-1.
Pearl River (3-1 overall; 2-0 MACCC South) enters the matchup after an exciting 23-20 victory at East Central that was highlighted by Morgan Craft‘s (Picayune) walk-off 32-yard field goal. Gulf Coast (4-0; 2-0) is undefeated through four weeks and most recently took down Southwest in a shootout, 55-36.
Tickets for PRCC’s game at Gulf Coast are available now at MGCCCBulldogs.com/Tickets or at the gate. Tickets purchased online are $10 per adult and $7 per child. Tickets purchased at the gate are $15 per adult and $10 per child.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
MGCCC averages 481.5 yards of offense and 39.8 points per game through the first four games. On defense, Gulf Coast averages 287.5 yards allowed and 22.8 points allowed per game.
Freshman quarterback Landon Varnes has thrown the ball all over the field for the Bulldogs. He has completed 71 of 112 passes for 926 yards and 13 touchdowns through four games. He’s been intercepted four times.
Varnes’ main target has been JP Coulter. The sophomore has caught 21 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Tyler Henderson is his second option. He has caught 15 passes for 221 yards and four scores.
The Bulldogs get it done on the ground, too. Trey Hall has registered 67 yards for 516 yards and three touchdowns. He’s averaging an incredible 7.7 yards per carry. Chandler Chapman has carried the ball 52 times for 228 yards.
Montrell Chapman is MGCCC’s leading tackler with 33 this season. He also has 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception. Javen Gibson has brought the pressure all year, registering 22 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Pearl River enters the contest as one of the better defensive units in the country, allowing just 17.5 points per game and 259.5 yards per game. On offense, PRCC has averaged 298.5 yards and 18.5 points.
Kabe Barnett (Hattiesburg; Oak Grove) is 41-for-76 through the air for 354 yards and two touchdowns this season. He’s added 151 yards rushing and a touchdown on 36 carries.
His main receiving option has been Howard Kinchen (Lafayette, La.; Patterson). The freshman has 10 catches for 105 yards. Javonta Caldwell (Laurel) leads the team in receptions with 12. He has 78 yards.
Keenan Franks (State Line; Greene County) leads the pack on the ground after back-to-back huge weeks. The freshman has 51 carries for 285 yards and two touchdowns. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Jacobi Jefferson (Slidell, La.; Salmen) is second with 198 yards and two scores on 51 carries.
Linebacker Amarion Tyson (Picayune) leads PRCC in tackles with 26. He’s third on the team in tackles for loss with 5.5. Travis Bendolph Jr. (Mobile, Ala.; Theodore) has 24 tackles and six tackles for loss. Charles Atkins Jr. (Metairie, La.; East Jefferson) leads the team in TFLs with 6.5.
Following last week’s 3-for-3 performance on field goals and 2-for-2 extra-point showing, Craft was named the MACCC’s Special Teams Player of the Week. Craft is 6-for-8 on field goal attempts this season and a perfect 8-for-8 on extra points.
TUNE IN
All Pearl River football games are livestreamed for free at PRCCMedia.com/Gold. Fans who have Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV devices can also watch the Wildcat broadcasts by downloading the “Pearl River CC” channel from their app stores.
Games can also be heard at WRJW 1320-AM, 106.9 FM and WRJWRadio.com.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on X (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).
