Week nine of high school football season is here. The following are my predictions involving teams in the Hattiesburg-area and Covington County.
Petal (4-3) at Jim Hill (0-7)-The Panthers are rolling after huge region wins over Oak Grove and Brandon. The competition will dip a little bit this week as they face winless Jim Hill. Through seven games, the Tigers are averaging a whopping 3 points a game. That’s enough for me to say this will be a complete mismatch.
Petal 42, Jim Hill 7
Lawrence County (3-5) at Purvis (3-4)-Purvis came up just short last week in four overtimes, 56-49, to Greene County. Putting that defensive performance aside, the Tornadoes have looked pretty good the last three weeks, winning two and losing one. Their explosive offense, which was absent early in the season, has steadily improved in that span. No doubt in my mind that Purvis is trending in the right direction. Lawrence County, not so much. The Cougars have lost three in a row and have struggled on both sides of the ball. Purvis should get back on track in this one.
Purvis 34, Lawrence County 17
Terry (5-3) at Oak Grove (5-2)-Do not pay a lot of mind to the similar records. Truth be told, Terry played a fairly easy non-district schedule and has lost to the teams they’re supposed to lose to like Brandon and Pearl in district play. Oak Grove is right on the level of those two teams, so it should be tough for the Bulldogs in this one, especially with the way this Warrior offense is playing right now. They just put up 66 points on Meridian, who historically boasts a pretty good defense. Terry’s season-high is 58 against Raymond, who is 0-7. I’d imagine Oak Grove will have the talent advantage at every single position on the field, so I’m rolling with the Warriors here. Really a no-brainer pick for me.
Oak Grove 41, Terry 13
Hattiesburg (7-0) at Wayne County (4-3)-Along with Picayune, Wayne County should be Hattiesburg’s toughest test the rest of the way. That being said, the Tigers should win this game and the rest by at least two touchdowns. Why? The Tiger offense continues to roll. They’ve scored 53 points or more in four of their last five games. You also have to take into account Hattiesburg’s defense, which is significantly improved. All-around it should be a long night for Wayne County. The War Eagles are simply still a major work in progress, especially on the defensive side. Not ideal against these Tigers.
Hattiesburg 38, Wayne County 21
Poplarville (7-0) at Sumrall (5-3)-We’re gonna learn a lot about Sumrall this week with Poplarville, pretty much the consensus No. 1 team in 4A, coming to town. The Hornets are averaging over 400 rushing yards a game. So yes, they’re 7-0 for a reason. Still, I think Sumrall should be able to hang in this game and keep it competitive to the very end. Unlike Poplarville’s opponent last week, FCAHS, the Bobcats have a quick strike offense that will keep them in this one. Now onto my pick, I’m not calling for the upset here. Like I said, all the praise Poplarville receives, it’s warranted, because they’re legit. But thinking they will just roll over the Bobcats at their house? Not gonna happen. I’m expecting a tight game.
Poplarville 35, Sumrall 27
Jackson Academy (6-1) at PCS (5-3)-Larry Weems has Jackson Academy rolling, but a major obstacle stands in the way: PCS. The Bobcats have proven they’re more than capable of competing with and in the case of the previous two years, beating the Raiders. PCS felt like your classic upstart in those two wins. This time around, it just feels like it’s Jackson Academy’s year. That’s mostly a gut feeling, but you also have to take into account the Bobcats might be without one of their most explosive offensive playmakers in Eric Robinson, who left last week’s game in an ambulance. Whether Robinson plays or not, Jackson Academy should play with a chip on their shoulder and avenge those losses.
Jackson Academy 34, PCS 31
Lumberton (5-2) at Sacred Heart (3-4)-Sacred Heart has hit a bit of a cold spell in recent weeks having lost four of their last five after starting 2-0. The Crusaders have played a brutal schedule in that span, and it continues this week against perennial contender Lumberton. The Panthers can score points in bunches. That’s an ability Sacred Heart just doesn’t have right now. The last three weeks, including a bye, the Crusader offense has scored one touchdown. That will not cut it against a team of Lumberton’s caliber.
Lumberton 38, Sacred Heart 17
FCAHS (5-3) at Greene County (7-1)-A tough schedule resumes for FCAHS. If the Aggies want any chance at a playoff berth, their offense has gotta take a significant step forward. They’ve been shutout two of their last three games. On the other side, Greene County is coming off a 56-point performance against Purvis. Aside from giving up 49 to the Tornadoes, the Wildcats have played really well defensively and appear to be the more complete team here.
Greene County 27, FCAHS 10
East Marion (4-3) at North Forrest (5-3)-Lack of depth finally caught up with North Forrest last week, as the Eagles had their five game win streak snapped at Collins. Eagles were going down left and right with cramps, yet they still kept fighting. Trust me, you could learn a life lesson or two spending some time around this North Forrest program. But back to my pick, the Eagles will have to move on quickly from last week’s loss if they wanna get back on track against East Marion. Both teams should score a lot of points, but I like North Forrest at home. Anthony Dillon will have his guys ready to bounce back against his former team.
North Forrest 36, East Marion 34
Collins (6-2) at Richton (2-6)-I got a chance to see the Tigers play last week and was mighty impressed. Eric Booth has himself a team of playmakers on both sides of the ball, and I can see them making some serious noise in 2A come playoff time. It all starts with quarterback Hershey McLaurin, who is throwing the ball and running it with great efficiency. McLaurin should continue his stellar season this week against a Richton defense that’s given up 41 points or more in five of their eight games.
Collins 42, Richton 13
Resurrection Catholic (3-5) at Mount Olive (2-6)-Resurrection is quietly playing really well right now having won three of their last four games. In that span, the Eagles have pitched two shutouts and scored 39 points or more three times. On the other side, Mount Olive’s struggles continue, especially on the defensive end. Should be another tough one for the Pirates.
Resurrection 31, Mount Olive 14
Seminary (4-4) at Tylertown (4-4)-Seminary hits the road Friday night in search of a statement win. The Bulldogs are 1-3 in away games this season, while Tylertown is 3-1 at home. Offensively, the Chiefs have been much more consistent, but defense continues to shine bright for Seminary. Again, this is really a tossup game for me. Hard to ignore Tylertown’s stellar home record, though. Enough for me to pick the Chiefs here.
Tylertown 28, Seminary 24
