The weather outside may still feel like summer, but the beginning of the school year signals one thing in Mississippi: High school football is back.
The Dispatch is proud to present individual team previews for all 13 schools in our coverage area, beginning Aug. 8 with Hebron Christian and continuing through Aug. 24 with Starkville. Each team’s preview will run on page 2B and include a feature story introducing the 2024 squad, along with rosters, photos, a 2024 schedule and a 2023 recap.
Photo by Austin Frayser/Dispatch file photo
From new coaches replacing legends, to legends becoming coaches, there is no shortage of storylines for 2024 and The Dispatch will bring you those stories and more.
From Aug. 8-15, we will cover area academy schools, beginning with the aforementioned Hebron Christian, followed by Columbus Christian and ending with Heritage Academy, two squads looking to bounce back from winless 2023s. In between, we’ll check in on the ironmen of Victory Christian, the Raiders of Oak Hill and introduce you to a Starkville Academy team eyeing a deep playoff run.
On Aug. 16, we’ll roll out our coverage of area MHSAA schools, beginning with West Lowndes and ending with Starkville on Aug. 24. You’ll learn about Coach Teddy Young’s perennial powerhouse Noxubee County on Aug. 17, with their all-everything (and MSU-committed) quarterback Kamario Taylor. At Caledonia, coach Michael Kelly’s team hopes to improve on last year’s unexpected deep playoff run, while New Hope, under new head coach Allen Green, looks to improve on last year’s winless campaign. Rounding out Lowndes County, we’ll examine the birth of a new era of football at Columbus High under new coach and MSU legend Barrin Simpson.
Photo by Jim Lytle/Dispatch file photo
In West Point, we’ll reintroduce you to the reigning 5A state champion Green Wave, themselves entering a new era under coach Brett Morgan following the retirement of the legendary Chris Chambless. We’ll end our tour in Starkville, where we’ll find out whether coach Chris Jones rebuilds or just reloads for a team looking to replace multiple key starters and shake off the bitter taste of a loss in the 7A title game last season.
As always, we’ll bring you exclusive access to the coaches, players and storylines that make high school football in the Golden Triangle so special.
The Dispatch preps football preview schedule
Aug. 8 Hebron Christian
Aug. 9 Columbus Christian
Aug. 10 Victory Christian
Aug. 13 Oak Hill Academy
Aug. 14 Starkville Academy
Aug. 15 Heritage Academy
Aug. 16 West Lowndes
Aug. 17 Noxubee County
Aug. 20 New Hope
Aug. 21 Caledonia
Aug. 22 Columbus
Aug. 23 West Point
Aug. 24 Starkville
Philip Poe is sports editor.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
