Poplarville shuts out Northeast Lauderdale in opening round
The undefeated Hornets scored five touchdowns in the first quarter to take a 56-0 lead over the visiting team.
By Elena Castillo ·
The Poplarville Hornets defeated Northeast Lauderdale 56-0 on Friday night to open their MHSAA playoff campaign. The Class 4A Region 7 champions secured the shutout victory in the first round of the postseason.
Poplarville built a 28-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. Trac Smith handed the ball to Remy Naquin 30 seconds into the game for the opening touchdown. Miami commit Ty Keys then scored on a rushing play after a defensive stop. Naquin and Keys added more rushing touchdowns to extend the early advantage.
The defense maintained its pressure throughout the contest. Walt Graham intercepted a pass following a deflection by Jaxon Schultz. That turnover allowed Keys to break through multiple tackles for his third score of the night. Kayden Bradford also contributed with a long sideline run that set up Naquin for his third touchdown.
Naquin and Keys combined for six rushing touchdowns in the game. The Hornets held the visiting team scoreless for all four quarters. This result advances Poplarville to the second round of the playoffs.
The Hornets will play next Friday in the second round. Their opponent will be the winner of the game between Morton and Forrest County.
