Salmen senior George Williams had a monster day, catching four passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns in the Spartans’ 49-17 victory over Pearl River in the first game of the Slidell Jamboree.

In the second game, Northshore’s Jervious Epherson scored a game-tying touchdown and kicker Daniel Flot put the Panthers ahead 7-6 before NHS added another score, giving Northshore a 14-6 victory over Slidell.

The games featured two 15-minute halves.

Salmen’s James Foucha catches a pass from quarterback Daniel Sams and runs through a big hole and for a 15-yard touchdown reception in the first game of the Slidell jamboree Friday night at SHS. (Staff Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

Pearl River-Salmen:

Salmen took control of the jamboree’s opening game early, but the Rebels scored first.

Pearl River took the opening possession 72 yards, but was stopped on third down. PRHS’ Adler Tonon split the uprights on a 31-yard field goal, giving Pearl River a 3-0 lead with 12:22 remaining.

The drive’s big play was a 61-yard pass from quarterback Doug Conravey to wide receiver Craig Domingue.

But after that, the Spartans took control.

On the ensuing kickoff, Salmen’s Jaron Adams fumbled the ball, picked it up and eluded tacklers, taking the ball down to Pearl River’s 14.

Quarterback Matt Lipham hit Williams for nine yards on the first play and Errol Scott capped the drive with a five-yard run. Chris Gulino’s extra point was successful and the Spartans led 7-3 with 11:26 left in the opening half.

On the next drive, a penalty backed Pearl River up and on third-and-21, the Rebels fumbled. Isame Faciane recovered it and scored the touchdown and Gulino made it 14-3 at the 11:21 mark.

The Rebels returned the kickoff back to their own 12, but turned the ball over with another fumble on second down, giving Salmen another short field.

They set up at PRHS’ 7. After Scott’s three-yard run, Lipham hit Williams who got in for the score. Pearl River was penalized on the PAT and the Spartans decided to go for two and Josh Adams ran it in. Salmen led 22-3 with 8:44 left.

But the Rebels didn’t quit. They took the next drive 74 yards in 11 plays and Conravey snuck in from the 1 and Vincent Piazza’s PAT trimmed the lead to 22-10.

Salmen added another score with 2:55 left. On the third play following the kickoff, Lipham had his pass deflected by Jamal Robinson into Williams’ hands and he took it the distance, 64 yards and Gulino’s point after gave Salmen a 29-10 halftime advantage.

Williams said he was supposed to be occupying the safety to help Robinson.

“He made the throw and I was just good heads up, caught the ball and broke it,” Williams said.

Salmen received the second-half kickoff and Daniel Sams played quarterback for the period. The Spartans went 69 yards on five plays, capped off by 15-yard touchdown pass from Sams to Josh Foucha.

Salmen halted PRHS’ next drive with Chrishawn Dupuy’s interception and once again, the Rebels’ defense had no answers for Salmen. On the seventh play, Sams ran 22 yards and dove into the end zone, capping the 80-yard drive with 10:07 left.

Pearl River continued to battle, taking the following possession 71 yards and tallied on Kendall Twillie’s 16-yard run. Tonon hit the PAT, making it 42-17.

Salmen returned the kickoff to its own 38. On the first play, Sams hit Williams, who made a great catch, got hit, juggled the ball, kept possession and his balance. He then took it to the end zone for the score. Gulino’s PAT capped the 49-17 victory.

Williams said he never saw the guy coming that hit him.

“I’ve gotta give credit to the line. The offensive line held good, the quarterback made a good throw, I caught the ball, looked it in and ran it for the touchdown,” Williams said.

Both teams open the regular season on the road Friday. Salmen takes on Northshore, while Pearl River plays Varnado.

Northshore-Slidell:

In the second game, Northshore’s Epherson erased a 6-0 deficit with 3:04 left with a five-yard run and nearly two minutes later he hit Chase Compton in the end zone for another touchdown.

NHS trailed 6-0 with 4:07 remaining. The Panthers got the ball on their 19. Epherson started the drive by completing a pass to Compton for 22 yards. Then Jared Faciane ran for seven, but got facemasked for another 15. Pass interference against Slidell on the next play pushed the ball to SHS’ 21. Epherson then took control, running for 16 and capping it with a five-yard run and a dive for the score. Flot split the uprights to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead at the 3:04 mark.

Epherson said it was an option.

“It was either pitch it or take it. I could’ve done either one and we probably would’ve scored. I had to do it some way,” Epherson said.

Slidell had another shot, but on the first play, the Panthers came up with a sack, a fumble and Northshore’s Mason McGee recovered it at SHS’ 14.

Slidell’s defense came up big on the first play with a sack. Epherson then ran the option to Faciane for four yards and then he ran for 13. On fourth-and-one, Denzel Acker gained two yards for a first down. After a penalty, Epherson found Compton for the touchdown. Flot’s PAT made it 14-6 with 1:08 left.

Slidell had one last drive, but was unable to score.

In the first half, Slidell got the ball with 13:51 remaining and took its first drive 88 yards on 13 plays. The Tigers finished the possession when quarterback Randal Meyer found Armand Williams by himself and he did the rest, taking it 47 yards for the touchdown.

The unsuccessful PAT kept the score 6-0 with 10:37 left.

Things stayed that way until late in the game when the Panthers tallied twice to seal the victory.

Both teams start the regular season at home Friday night. Northshore takes on Salmen, while Slidell tangles with Holy Cross in a battle of Tigers.