Heritage Academy and Magnolia Heights have taken nearly identical paths to their current identical records.
After losing its second game of the season, the Patriots and Chiefs have gone on five-game winning streaks heading into Friday’s game, a battle of 6-1 teams.
“We have to be physical and not give up the big play,” Heritage Academy head coach Lance Pogue said. “That’s what’s been big for them. They have some really electric athletes in some places.”
Like their records, Heritage and Mag Heights are knotted up when it comes to all-time meetings, currently tied 12-12 heading into Friday.
Recent history favors the Pats in this rivalry, having won the past five matchups, including a convincing 35-9 road win last season.
Hosting this time around is a great advantage for Heritage, who since the start of the 2019 season is 21-2 at home.
With this being a conference game and with both teams currently unbeaten in conference play, it’s going to be an all-out battle on the field Friday night, and although the Patriots are at home, this is one of those games that’s truly a coin flip decision as to who will win.
Columbus (2-4) at Lafayette (2-4)
Many questions circled around Columbus through its first four games of the season, having scored just six points as a team heading into district play.
A lack of experience and injuries proved to be the biggest roadblocks for the Falcons, but since the start of district play, we’ve seen a completely different Columbus team.
Following a crucial first win of the season against New Hope, the Falcons came alive, scoring 34 points in a 34-12 victory over Greenville last week. Now, Columbus travels to Oxford for its first away district game against Lafayette.
“Our confidence level, where we’re at right now, we’re not satisfied, so we’re just continuing to work and get better,” Columbus head coach Joshua Pulphus said. “I have a great group of players, young men who have gelled together in the wake of injuries we had early on.”
This turnaround, especially last week’s offensive outburst, is a positive sign moving forward for Columbus (2-4), who still has five district games left and is controlling its own destiny at this point.
The road gets tougher playing Lafayette, a school Columbus has yet to ever beat but hopes to on Friday.
New Hope (2-3) at Greenville (0-5)
Simply put, New Hope took a major gut punch in the first half of last Friday’s game against West Point.
The task put forth for the Trojans was a tough one, taking on a Green Wave team with one of the most dangerous rushing attacks in Mississippi.
Stopping them, while difficult from the jump, turned nearly impossible as West Point put up 36 points in the first half alone on its way to a 42-7 victory.
The goal for New Hope (2-3) this week is to flush that loss down the drain and prepare for Greenville on Friday.
“I think our effort has to improve,” New Hope head coach Seth Stillman said. “Our effort and preparation leading up to the game, we have to prepare as if we’re preparing to win a football game, not just go through the motions of practicing.”
Despite playing an 0-5 Greenville team this week, the Hornets have added motivation to finally get their first win of the season, meaning New Hope has to bring its best.
New Hope dismantled Greenville last season, a 38-0 shutout victory, and it’s the exact performance the Trojans need this season and this week to get back to .500 on the year.
Caledonia (1-5) at Tishomingo County (1-5)
The end to a two-game losing skid was nearly there for Caledonia last week against Corinth.
Starting out district play with a win is exactly what the Cavaliers needed, but they came up two points short in a 29-27 loss.
Coming off an 11-win season in 2021, the role reversal of 2022 has been rough for the Cavs but nothing Caledonia can’t overcome as it takes on a fellow 1-5 team in Tishomingo County this week.
“I think over the last few weeks our offense has begun to move the football with efficiency,” Caledonia head coach Michael Kelly said. “I’m still not pleased with our turnovers and inefficiency to score once we get inside the red zone.”
“We were able to score points inside the red zone last Thursday. Hopefully, we can build off that. We’ve got to be able to put the ball in the end zone.”
Scoring is easier said than done, and with both teams searching for some semblance of continuity before the season’s end comes closer, the Cavs and Braves will be leaving everything out on the field on Friday.
Execution on offense will be the key for Caledonia to get win No. 2 in the books.
Cleveland Central (3-3) at West Point (3-2)
West Point is back over the .500 mark, getting there with a massive statement against New Hope last Friday.
The rushing prowess of the Green Wave was on full display, approaching 300 total rushing yards in the first half alone on their way to a 42-7 blowout victory.
A three-game winning streak and 2-0 record to start district play are great, but there’s plenty ahead that West Point has its sights set on.
“Our kids work extremely hard every week on the fundamentals of the game,” West Point head coach Chris Chambless said. “That’s what we’ve been focusing on every day. They know we’re not going to be perfect, but the best thing we can do is try to be.”
For a team that doesn’t look at itself as perfect, the Green Wave (3-2) has been nearly perfect in its rushing attack over the last three weeks.
The problems that haunted West Point the first two weeks of the season have been corrected, and the onslaught of this offense has been fully unleashed.
West Point took care of business against Cleveland Central last season, a 48-14 win, and a similar result is expected on Friday as the Green Wave return home.
West Lowndes (4-2) at French Camp Academy (2-4)
After being shut out against Sebastopol two weeks ago, the offense for West Lowndes returned last Friday and returned in a big way with a 46-6 blowout win over Leake County.
The Panthers put up at least 38 points for the third time this season, scored 40 points or more for the second time and recorded a 40-point victory for the third time in two years.
Getting back on the winning track is exactly what West Lowndes — now 2-1 in district play heading into Friday’s game against French Camp Academy — was looking for.
“It was big to get that win, especially following a loss,” West Lowndes head coach Anthony King said. “We were struggling badly offensively and we’re just trying to get back on track.”
Friday’s game against French Camp will be a physical game and a closely contested one as FCA is 5-2 against West Lowndes all time but has lost two of its last three against the Panthers.
With another district game at hand on Friday, pulling out a victory means that much more, and with FCA struggling this season, West Lowndes has a great opportunity to take advantage of some vulnerabilities and improve to 3-1 in district.
Noxubee County (3-3) at Kemper County (1-4)
Noxubee County came into last Friday’s game against Hatley on the struggle bus, riding a three-game losing streak.
The Tigers lost their offensive touch, scoring a combined 49 points during that losing streak, three fewer points than they scored in their season opener against Philadelphia.
But they righted the ship to begin district play, dominating Hatley in a 63-0 shutout victory that brought them back to .500 on the season.
“The main thing we have to focus on is finishing drives,” Noxubee County head coach Teddy Young said. “We did a good job last week at finishing drives.”
“District play is where it really counts, and in our first district game, we came out and executed every phase of the game very well. Playing our best ball in district play is what I preach to them all the time.”
District play doesn’t continue this Friday against Kemper County, but it’s another great opportunity to build off the success of last week’s victory moving forward.
The formula for success is simple for Noxubee County: put points on the board and put the game away early, a tough but manageable task on the road against the Wildcats on Friday.
Pillow Academy (4-3) at Starkville Academy (4-4)
As the old saying goes, “It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish.”
Unfortunately for Starkville Academy, while it has done a good job at finishing games, that’s been negated by slow starts, including last Friday’s game against Magnolia Heights, where the Volunteers trailed 17-0 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Its fourth-quarter comeback came too late in an eventual 24-14 loss. Now riding a three-game losing streak, the Vols look to snap that and get back to winning ways against Pillow Academy.
“The mindset is great, our guys come in ready to go to work,” Starkville Academy head coach Chase Nicholson said. “We know we’re a better football team than what our record is showing. We just have to figure out how to win these close games.”
Establishing the run game — something the Vols (4-4) have struggled with in recent games — will help.
Struggles at the line of scrimmage have prevented starting running back Charlie Nicholas from rattling off big runs and swinging momentum back to the Vols.
Having won seven of its last nine games against Pillow, Starkville Academy will look to establish the run early and get out to an early lead instead of playing from behind again.
Other games (7 p.m. unless otherwise listed)
Tupelo at Starkville
Carroll Academy at Oak Hill Academy
Manchester Academy at Columbus Christian Academy
Hebron Christian at Kemper Academy
Cornerstone Christian Academy (Ala.) at Victory Christian Academy
Escambia Academy (Ala.) at Pickens Academy (Ala.)
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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 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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