Week Twelve – Mississippi High School Football “Elite” Top Ten
It’s go time in Mississippi high school football as it’s the last week of the regular season for some and the first round of the playoffs for others. So pack a lunch and a blanket and let’s get right to it. Those of you that finished up last week and didn’t make the playoffs, congrats on your season and keep your head up! The future is bright.
Let’s get right to our poll and this week’s games. Also we will be predicting all playoff brackets from this point forward, (MHSAA).
This week’s Elite – 10 poll:
1 – Starkville
2 – South Panola
3 – Brandon
4 – Oxford
5 – Clinton
6 – Ocean Springs
7 – Oak Grove
8- New Hope
9 – Picayune
10 – Warren Central
Just Missed the Cut: West Jones, Wayne County, Southaven, Pearl
Last Week: 7-2
Yearly Predictions: 74-16
No. 10 Warren Central versus Columbus
The Vikings look to get back on track after two tough weeks against Clinton and Starkville. This team has what it takes to make a run in the playoffs starting next week and should get back to their winning ways Friday night.
Even with a loss, Columbus still might make the playoff which is a huge achievement for first year coach Randal Montgomery.
Warren Central 24 Columbus 14
No. 9 Picayune at Stone
Dodd Lee’s team was shocked last week against East Central 31-28 which could be a good thing as the Maroon Tide look to defend their state title starting next week. Look for Dodd’s club to get back on track this week against Stone.
Picayune 38 Stone 20
No. 8 New Hope versus Saltillo
A key Region-1 5A game in the final regular season is going down in the Golden Triangle Friday night.
Saltillo still has playoff aspirations, while New Hope looks to keep pace with Oxford. A win for New Hope secures a first round playoff home game and the number two seed out of Region-1.
New Hope 27 Saltillo 17
No. 7 Oak Grove at Jim Hill
Nevill Barr’s Warriors look to use Jim Hill as a tune-up game for the start of next week’s playoffs in 6A. Oak Grove has locked up the 2-seed out of Region-3 and will host next week.
Oak Grove 44 Jim Hill 7
No. 6 Ocean Springs versus Hattiesburg
It’s a key Region-4 6A showdown between the Tigers of Hattiesburg and the Greyhounds of Ocean Springs. Region-4 is a mess and you need a math degree to sort out what might come about in this region.
A win by Ocean Springs gives them the region crown, while a loss could drop the Hounds as far back as a 3-seed. It’s the same song and dance for Hattiesburg as well as both teams are fighting for a crown and playoff positioning.
Ocean Springs 32 Hattiesburg 22
No. 4 Oxford at Lake Cormorant
Jonny Hill’s Chargers have locked up another region championship and look to use Friday night to get ready for a first round playoff game next week at home.
Oxford 44 Lake Cormorant 14
No. 3 Brandon at Provine
Brandon locked up their second straight Region-3 championship last week and will look to sharpen the iron this week against Provine and keep people healthy for what could be a deep playoff run in Rankin County.
Brandon 35 Provine 20
No. 2 South Panola at DeSoto Central
Its business as usual in Batesville as the Tigers locked up another region crown last week. The Tigers head to Desoto County to take on the Jaguars in in their last regular season before heading back home for round one of the playoffs next week.
South Panola 40 DeSoto Central 14
GAME OF THE WEEK:
No. 1 Starkville at No. 5 Clinton
Here we go with big time games and big time implications. It doesn’t get any bigger than this as Judd Boswell’s Arrows host Jaime Mitchell’s number-1 Yellow Jackets.
Boswell’s team has only lost once this season and that was early at Brandon. Mitchell’s Starkville team has run through their schedule with only Warren Central putting up a fight. The Yellow Jackets had to come from behind to win against WC just last week.
To the winner goes the region crown and while the loser gets the 2-seed in the region, both teams will host first round playoff games next week. It’s offense versus defense in this one and a game full of big time playmakers. This could be the first of two meetings between these two over the next month.
This time around, even while going on the road, Mitchell’s team is a little older and just a little better at this point.
Starkville 20 Clinton 13
First Round Playoff Predictions (MHSAA)
2A – Action: First Round
Baldwyn 45 West Bolivar 14
East Webster 28 Strayhorn 20
Simmons 30 New Site 14
Eupora 31 West Tallahatchie 21
Calhoun City 38 Byers 7
Walnut 21 South Delta 7
Coahoma Agricultural 45 Bruce 20
J.Z. George 17 Hatley 14
Lake 28 West Lincoln 21
Mize 37 Leake County 20
East Marion 45 Scott Central 21
Bay Springs 31 Puckett 21
Taylorsville 51 St. Joseph 28
Union 35 Amite County 28
Richton 24 Pisgah 21
Bassfield 37 Enterprise 21
3A-Action: First Round
North Pontotoc 58 Ruleville 14
Aberdeen 28 North Panola 27
East Side 35 Booneville 24
Kemper County 34 Water Valley 31
Louisville 40 Holly Springs 35
Mooreville 28 O’Bannon 7
Charleston 51 Winona 14
Kossuth 39 Humphreys County 20
Choctaw County 44 Wesson 24
West Marion 28 Prentiss 27
Franklin County 28 Forest 17
Morton 20 Seminary 14
Tylertown 37 Velma Jackson 14
Philadelphia 44 Wilkinson County 21
Collins 40 Perry Central 28
Hazlehurst 31 Raleigh 28
4A-Action: First Round
Itawamba Agricultural 41 Gentry 7
Kosciusko 35 Rosa Fort 14
Greenwood 40 Shannon 17
Ripley 20 Caledonia 17
Noxubee County 34 Senatobia 21
Yazoo County 25 Corinth 16
Lafayette 29 Houston 20
Cleveland 49 Amory 15
North Pike 17 Northeast Jones 16
St. Stanislaus 43 Mendenhall 21
McComb 54 Forest County AHS 33
Magee 38 Moss Point 28
Poplarville 30 Richland 20
Quitman 46 Columbia 31
Florence 48 Vancleave 28
Purvis 37 Newton County 21