Pickens tops Ridgeland for Region 6-AAAA football title

The Ridgeland Panthers can still open the state playoffs at home. They just have a little more work to do first.

Ridgeland led 14-10 after one quarter in Jasper on Friday, but gave up 14 unanswered points in the second quarter and could never make up the deficit in a 31-21 loss to Pickens.

The Dragons (9-0, 5-0), off to their best start in over 70 yards, clinched their first-ever region football title with the victory. Meanwhile, the Panthers (5-3, 3-1) can lock up the No. 2 seed and a first-round state playoff game at Bowers and Painter Field with a home win over still-winless Gilmer this Friday.

After Pickens stunned Ridgeland with a halfback pass for a touchdown on its first play from scrimmage, the Panthers hit the Dragons with two quick scores, one on a 3-yard run by Jordan Blackwell and the second on a 47-yard Tanner Hill-to-torrance Roberts scoring strike to give them the lead.

Pickens added a short field goal in the waning seconds of the quarter, but took the lead for good in the second period. Robert Davis found the endzone from seven yards out and later, after Pickens blocked a Ridgeland field goal attempt, C.J. Streicher connected with Kaleb Ray on a 72-yard pass to give the home team a 24-14 lead at the break.

Keeping the ball on the ground the majority of the second half, Davis capped a 67-yard drive with a 13-yard TD run just past the midway mark in the third quarter. The Pickens defense would then keep the Panthers out of the endzone until a 30-yard TD run by Terrance Roberts with 19 seconds remaining in the game.

Streicher rushed 30 times for 135 yards and added 108 yards in the air on just 2-of-8 passing. Hill went 9-of-24 for 196 yards, including four to Stephon Walker, who finished with 139 yards receiving. Blackwell led Ridgeland with 125 yards on 19 carries.