GAUTIER — The Resurrection Eagles came back from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Bay High Tigers 29-26.
Running back Daniel Pickens led the way for the Eagles with 172 yards and a touchdown on the ground with 36 yards receiving and a touchdown grab.
Jaylen Antoine shouldered the load for the Tigers’ offense with 112 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. RCS started their season with a 12-play touchdown drive to go up 7-0. Pickens led the way with 45 yards on the ground capped off with a two-yard touchdown run on the drive. The Eagles’ defense started hot too, forcing a fumble and recovering.
RCS took advantage of the turnover, scoring on the following drive when quarterback Luke Schnoor connected with Brice Brown for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles lead extended to 15-0 after a successful two-point conversion throw to Pickens. Bay High answered with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Antoine on a fourth down, capping off an 11-play scoring drive that brought the Tigers to eight points. After a missed RCS field goal, Cameron Garcia, starting quarterback for Bay High, heaved a 45-yard touchdown pass with only 20 seconds remaining in the first half of the game. At the conclusion of the first half, RCS held a slim 15-13 lead.
Bay High started the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Benny Williams to take the lead 15-19. The Tigers added to their lead in their next drive with a four-yard touchdown pass, going up 15-26.
A Pickens rushing touchdown brought the Eagles within four points in the third quarter. Harris Hinkel gave the Eagles’ offense the ball back with an interception. Resurrection capitalized, taking the lead on a 12-yard touchdown reception from Pickens with 7:45 left in the game.
After a defensive stand, RCS was able to bleed out the rest of the clock and secure a 29-26 home win.
“These kids fought with class, character, heart, and they left it on the field… no matter what the score is, they are [always] winners in my eyes,” Eagles head coach Eric Denmark, said after the win. “I am so proud of this group, we’ve got something special.”
“He’s been my boy since the seventh grade. He comes from a great family of character… he is a star student… and an unbelievable athlete,” Denmark said of running back Daniel Pickens.
Resurrection, now 1-0, hits the road for the first time this season next week as the Eagles travel to Hattiesburg for yet another first-time meeting with an opponent facing Presbyterian Christian School.
Next up for Bay High, 0-1, is its home opener next Friday against long-time neighborhood rival St. Stanislaus, as the Tigers and Rock-A-Chaws face off in the annual “Battle for the Crab Trap” at McCulloch Stadium in Bay St. Louis.
