Week Four – Mississippi High School Football “Elite” Top Ten
It’s week four of the 2014 Mississippi high school football season and for most teams, the last week before everyone steps into region play. I always break down the high school season into three small seasons. Non region, region and playoffs – and it’s hard to believe this is the last week of non-region play. So let’s get to it.
This week’s Elite-10 poll:
1- Starkville
2 – South Panola
3 – Madison Central
4 –Brandon
5 – Oxford
6 – Warren Central
7 – Oak Grove
8 – Picayune
9 – Meridian
10 – Tupelo
Just Missed the Cut: Harrison Central, Louisville, Germantown
Last week’s predictions: 7-0-1 (Oak Grove – PRC Game called due to weather.)
Yearly Predictions: 19-6
This Week’s Games:
Saltillo at No.10 Tupelo
This should be a great high school football game this weekend and if you are in the area, I highly recommend checking it out. Both teams are 3-0 and both teams are major players in their respected divisions.
Both teams have been on a roll in the early part of the 2014 season so this is a meeting of stalwarts of sorts.
Pat Byrd’s team lost a close one to Trent Hammond’s Tupelo team last year. And – while the Tigers are a major 5A player this year, look for similar results in a very good game this year.
Tupelo 27 Saltillo 20
No.9 Meridian at Clinton
Meridian went on the road last week to South Panola and got flat embarrassed. Their 42-13 defeat at the hands of the Tigers was one of their worst defeats in years.
This week they head to Clinton to take on a much improved Judd Boswell team. Look for Meridian to bounce back against a feisty Arrows squad.
Meridian 28 Clinton 14
No. 8 Picayune versus Pearl River Central
Picayune continues to roll with last week’s nine-point win over D’Iberville, showing last year’s title run could be just the start.
This week they host Pearl River Central – a team that was off last week after their meeting with Oak Grove was cancelled due to weather.
PRC is a much improved ball club this year and while they should have a nice season, Friday will not be kind to them.
Picayune 30 PRC 17
No. 7 Oak Grove at Biloxi
Nevill Barr and the Warriors head down the road to Biloxi and take on a very improved Indians team, coached by John Shannon.
Both teams are undefeated at this point and this could be a preview of a playoff game down the road, as both these clubs regions are matched against one another in 6A.
Biloxi is doing good things on the coast and while that is good, it’s probably not good enough against a very deep Oak Grove team.
Oak Grove 31 Biloxi 21
No. 5 Oxford versus Lafayette
It’s a cross town rival of epic proportions as Oxford and Lafayette tie it on one more time. This game is close for a while, but this year Oxford has a little too much fire power.
Oxford 40 Lafayette 20
No. 4 Brandon versus Northwest Rankin
It’s the battle of the Petersons as Brad Peterson and Brandon host Tyler Peterson and Northwest Rankin. The Cougars are off to a 2-1 start and look much improved from a year ago.
Brandon seemed to find its stride against Clinton last week and looks to keep their train a-rollin.
The Bulldogs are 10-1 the last three years in metro non-region games. Look for them to take that record to 11-1.
Brandon 35 Northwest 14
No. 3 Madison Central at Petal
Nobody need say Madison Central is scared to play the big boys. The Jags head to Petal to take on their fourth powerhouse in as many weeks.
It’s never easy playing on the road and its sure never easy down at Petal, where Marcus Boyles has built a machine in the Pinebelt.
Both teams typically get after one another when they meet up and expect another slugfest Friday night.
Madison Central 20 Petal 14
No.2 South Panola – Bye Week
No. 1 Starkville at Florence, AL
The YellowJacket train rolls on in week four, this time heading to Florence, Alabama to take on the Falcons. Florence traditionally has a very nice program, but Starkville seems to be on a mission in 2014 and a level above the Falcons or anyone they have played up to this point.
Starkville 40 Florence, AL 24
Game of the Week:
No.6 Warren Central versus Natchez
Lance Reed and the Bulldogs of Natchez travel north on Highway 61 to take on Josh Morgans Vikings of Warren Central Friday night in our game of the week.
The Bulldogs are scoring points hand over fist, while the Vikings have only allowed 12-points through their first three games.
Both of these programs are rolling and look to be major players in 2014. It is truly offense versus defense in this one and most of the time in these instances, defense defeats offense.
Warren Central 24 Natchez 14