The regular season comes to an end Friday night for Starkville Academy, and as has been the case every week this season, this one is as important as ever.
The Volunteers have firmly secured themselves a spot in the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class 5A playoffs as they sit with a 7-2 record overall and a 3-0 record in district play.
A district title, a first-round bye and the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs remain in play heading into this week’s game against a familiar foe in Magnolia Heights.
“We’re focused on this week,” head coach Chase Nicholson said. “We have to get ready for this game, and we understand what this game means for us moving forward. We have to get up for this game.”
The two share a lengthy history, Friday being the 28th meeting between both schools. Last year, the Chiefs snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Vols with a 24-14 win.
While the two teams know each other well, this version of Starkville Academy is drastically different than last season, and the Vols, riding a massive 42-0 win over Heritage Academy last week, want to end the regular season on a high note.
“Big district game, last game of the regular season,” Nicholson said. “There’s a lot of emotions that come with that. We know that prepares us for the playoffs. … We have to play our game. We have to do our thing. We expect them to come out there and come after us, and we better do the same thing.”
Noxubee County (4-4) at Southeast Lauderdale (2-6), 7 p.m.
District play is more important than ever for Noxubee County, and last week’s home win over Enterprise Clarke got that elusive first district win in the books.
Two district games remain for the Tigers to further secure themselves a spot in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A playoffs, and Friday presents an opportunity to break through the .500 mark.
“Getting back on track, getting our first district win, that was the main thing,” head coach Teddy Young said. “… We know what this time of the year brings. It’s all about getting ready for the playoffs.”
Sitting at 4-4 overall and 1-1 in district, the Tigers’ record is not truly indicative of how this team has played this season, but facing a Southeast Lauderdale team in desperate need of a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, this game will be an intense one.
It’s also a matchup of unfamiliar faces as these two programs will meet for the first time, one of what should be many future district games between them.
“A lot of our problems come from self-inflicted wounds,” Young said. “That’s the main thing we have to focus on, correcting the little things. When we start getting better at the little things, we’ll show what type of team we really are.”
Columbus (1-7) at Ridgeland (2-5)
It’s been a rough start to district play for Columbus following its first win of the season to end non-district play two weeks ago.
Friday was the epitome of that, another close battle that came up short in overtime against Neshoba Central, a 25-24 loss.
The Falcons are keeping at it, trying to keep morale high with a chance to earn their first district win of the season against Ridgeland on Friday night.
“I commend my guys,” Columbus head coach Josh Pulphus said. “The season hasn’t been going as expected, but my leaders have been doing a great job of setting the example, setting the tone, coming in each week, ready to work. Kudos to the kids and kudos to them believing in the mission that we’re preaching as coaches.”
In this new age of Mississippi high school football, teams are playing in new classifications against new district opponents. Columbus and Ridgeland are very much part of that, playing each other for the first time this Friday.
Both teams are winless in district, and both are hungry for their first win in the new-look 6A Region 2.
“Our three keys to the game are staying disciplined, making sure we take care of the football, and defensively, making sure we tackle, keeping them in second-and-long.” Pulphus said.
Caledonia (3-4) at Greenwood (1-7), 7 p.m.
Last Friday was one to forget for Caledonia, a game that Louisville, arguably the best team in Mississippi, won handedly as the Cavaliers dropped to 0-2 in district play.
Considering the hot start the Cavs were on to end non-district play, the game served as a wake-up call for coach Michael Kelly’s team. To overcome adversity, one must face it first.
“Our kids continue to work really hard,” Kelly said. “They bounced back. We challenged them to be resilient. We have two weeks to finish the season strong and I’ve liked the way they’ve looked so far.”
It’s been a rough go of things over the last two games, but a golden opportunity to get right back into the driver’s seat has presented itself on Friday night.
Greenwood, who is winless in district play, is riding a six-game losing streak.
The Bulldogs have struggled on both sides of the ball, averaging just 10 points per game offensively while allowing nearly 38 points a game defensively.
While Greenwood is no doubt desperate to get their first district win of the season, Caledonia has the advantage, on paper, having scored twice as many points while allowing half as many as the Bulldogs. Thus, the Cavs are in a good position to get back to .500.
“We’re like a lot of teams in this state,” Kelly said. “It’s do-or-die this time of year. We put ourselves in this situation. We have to crawl out of it.”
Clarksdale (4-3) at New Hope (0-7), 7 p.m.
Struggles will find teams in a number of ways. For some, they’re momentary blips that can be overcome. For others, like New Hope, the slump can take over a season.
The Trojans come into Friday’s game 0-7 overall and 0-2 in district play, averaging just under 11 points per game.
New Hope has held its opponents to fewer than 30 points only twice this season, but in the face of struggle and hardship, the Trojans remain united.
“I think we’re in as good a place as you can be with our record,” head coach Seth Stillman said. ”We had a competitive game on Friday, and that went a long way with us having some success on offense for the kids to keep believing and knowing that this is possible and we can get after it.”
There aren’t many opportunities left to keep playoff hopes alive, with Friday being the third of five district games the Trojans will play.
Every team New Hope will face from this point forward is currently above .500 and will be jostling to win a district title.
The Trojans have the opportunity to not only play spoiler, but make a dark-horse run for a playoff spot, but that has to begin against Clarksdale on Friday.
“We’re still trying to work toward our goals of playing in the postseason for the first time in a while,” Stillman said. “That’s our goal. That’s the goal that our players set for the year and there’s still a possibility of that.”
Other games
Oak Hill Academy (3-6) at Lee Academy (5-4), 7 p.m.
Humphreys Academy (1-8) at Hebron Christian (2-6), 7 p.m.
Marshall Academy (3-6) at Columbus Christian Academy (0-9), 7 p.m.
Winston County (Ala.) (4-3) at Aliceville (Ala.) (3-5), 7 p.m.
Banks Academy (Ala.) (7-1) at Pickens Academy (Ala.) (1-7), 7 p.m.
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