MOOREVILLE — To get the victory, the Mooreville High Troopers had to have 10 points and their defense to keep the visiting South Pontotoc Cougars from putting any more points on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s Region 2-3A opener here for both teams.

Trailing 21-12 the homestanding Troopers would put up 23 points for a 35-21 come-from-behind win.

The fourth quarter

With 9:13 showing on the game clock, Mooreville started their comeback with a 5-yard pass reception for a touchdown. Following the Troopers’ first successful extra point attempt of the game, South Pontotoc’s lead had been cut to 21-19.

On the following Cougar offensive series, Mooreville, aided by a holding call on South, pushed them back deep into their own territory, near the endzone.

On fourth down, junior punter Joseph Wiggington would come on to punt for the Cougars, but his punt would be blocked and recovered by the Troopers on the South Pontotoc 4-yard line.

From there Moore-ville’s quarterback would keep it himself and scramble four yards to put his Troopers up 25 to 21.

Mooreville would go for two and convert to make it a six-point ball game at 27-21.

South would get the ball back with 4:21 remaining in the game to try to go back ahead of the Troopers, but would not be able to move the ball.

Mooreville would punch it in one more time to put the Cougars away for good.

Mooreville’s QB would throw his third touchdown pass of the night when he hit his fullback on a 10-yard touchdown strike with 3:13 remaining in the game. The Troopers would go for two and be successful, again.

The first quarter

The Cougars had come to Mooreville to get the division schedule kicked off with a win, as was the indication when senior Marcus Holsey would take the opening kickoff back 87 yards for a South Pontotoc touchdown. The PAT was added by senior Dylan Sims and the Cougars lead 7-0.

Sophomore safety Matt Adams would intercept a Mooreville pass on the Troopers’ first offensive possession with 10:12 remaining in the first quarter.

After a missed field goal just wide left by Sims, Mooreville would put their first points of the game up. A Trooper running back would score on a 5-yard dive with 3:21 remaining. The PAT was no good, but Mooreville had cut the deficit to 7-6 to end the scoring in the opening period.

The second quarter

Set up by an interception by sophomore defensive back Matt Bailey with six minutes remaining in the first half, South would strike back quickly. Junior quarterback Wesley Barefield would find junior wide receiver Matthew Berry on a 31-yard touchdown pass.

The PAT was good by Sims and the Cougars would take a 21-12 lead into the dressing room at halftime. Berry would finish the night with 83 receiving yards on six catches, including that 31 yard touchdown.

The third quarter

Mooreville received the opening kickoff of the second half and march all the way down field and would score when their quarterback would find his intended receiver wide open for a touchdown. The Troopers would go for the two-point conversion, but would not get it.

South would then put the football into the end zone one more time when Barefield would find junior receiver Seth Roye on a 5-yard pass to put the Cougars up 21-12.