Week 4 of the MHSAA football season is here. The following are our game predictions involving Jones County teams.
South Jones at Northeast Jones
Everyone loves a good rivalry, and Jones County has its fair share.
Another chapter in the South Jones/Northeast Jones rivalry begins writing itself Friday night, and as with most rivalries, you can throw out what’s on paper because things don’t always stay on script.
But here’s what “on paper” looks like…
South Jones (2-1) is coming off a big win in Week 3, a 42-12 hammering of West Harrison. Senior running back Ricky Boleware rushed for 187 yards on 15 carries and scored three times, including two touchdown runs of 50-plus yards. On paper, Boleware could have another electric night mixed in with a few junior quarterback John Mitchell TD passes.
Northeast Jones is struggling, a new sophomore QB on top of several unfortunate injuries to players playing prominent roles on offense and defense. “On paper,” things may not get easier this week.
Prediction: South Jones +14
Petal at Laurel
We all have those week’s we’d rather forget.
In Week 3, Laurel took a beating, unlike anything the program has seen in recent years. The Tornadoes fell big to Oak Grove, 42-12. But let’s be fair, Oak Grove is a top five team in the state behind senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee.
The Tornadoes are 1-2 on the season and could likely be 1-3 after this week. Petal (2-1), this week’s opponent, is an underrated 6A program that is balanced on offense and can score points in a hurry. Petal knocked of Brother Martin last Saturday in Louisiana, 40-14.
Laurel can play defense, and defense will have to play a major factor if the Tornadoes want to slow Petal down. So comes the next question, can Laurel trade Petal blow for blow on offense?
Prediction: Petal +4
Bay Springs at West Jones
Neither team played to its potential in Week 3, but one difference separates the two, Bay Springs played horrible and won while West Jones didn’t play well and lost.
Bay Springs found a way to beat Morton last Saturday in overtime, 20-14. West Jones found a way to lose against Quitman, 31-9, in Week 3 by turning the ball over four times. As Pierson said after the game, “you can’t turn the ball over like that and expect to win the game.”
No matter how this game turns out, the matchup has a rather interesting storyline. West Jones head coach Scott Pierson was Bay Springs head coach before coming to Soso in 2002 and had quite a run with the Bulldogs during his tenure there. He has been successful at both places.
Bay Springs head coach Dan “Roscoe” Brady is doing quite well himself. Last year his Bulldogs made the trip to Starkville to play in Class 2A State Championship.
Prediction: West Jones +3
