STARKVILLE — The stage is set for what could be a high-octane season opener in Starkville.
A battle of two teams who made it to their respective state championship games last season is set for 8 p.m. Friday as the Yellow Jackets host the Noxubee County Tigers.
It’s a rematch a half-decade in the making, and an early-season test to see just how good both programs are heading into the 2023 season.
“I’m feeling good going into the game,” Noxubee County head coach Teddy Young said. “It’s a rivalry game. They’re a great program, and I’m just looking to see where we’re at. We’re both going to be battle-tested in the game.”
All eyes are already on the Jackets, the defending Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state champions, now competing in the just-established 7A classification.
They’re expected to be one of the best, if not the best high school team in the Magnolia State in 2023, and a high-powered roster highlighted by Mississippi State commit Braylon Burnside and Illinois commit Trey Petty has only escalated those predictions.
Just like during the stretch run of the 2022 season, however, the Jackets are taking things one game at a time.
“It’s been time to focus on the little things in all facets of the game, playing the game the right way and just getting back to the fundamentals of football,” Starkville head coach Chris Jones said. “…We’ve been able to find depth, which I think is important this time of year with the weather.”
On the other sideline, Noxubee County left Hattiesburg unsatisfied and unfinished, losing to Raleigh in the Class 3A state title game.
The Tigers have brought back some key pieces from last year’s team, headlined by 6-5 dual-threat quarterback Kamario Taylor.
On paper, the difference in classes might seem like a mismatch, but Noxubee County is more than capable of putting up big numbers on the field.
Against a star-studded team like the Jackets, the game plan is difficult, but simple: limit explosive plays. The more players like Petty and Burnside are pressured, the less effective they’ll be on the field, creating opportunities for Noxubee County to strike.
“We have to win the line of scrimmage,” Young said. “That’s the main key…We can’t give up the big play. I feel like if we do both of those things, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win.”
These two programs last met during the 2018 season, with Starkville earning a 30-6 win. Starkville has won five of the last six games in the matchup overall, with the Tigers win coming in 2015.
Past history is pointing toward a Yellow Jacket victory, but history only predicts so much for what should be an exciting Friday night clash of football powerhouses.
“They’re going to play hard,” Jones said. “They’re a hard-nosed team that competes at a high level…We need to match their energy and contain their playmakers.”
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