Here are your Jones, Jasper, Smith and Wayne County County Week 7 predictions as picked by James Pugh.
Current record: 33-16.
Bay Springs (6-0) at Taylorsville (5-1)
Who let the Dawgs out? Who shut the Tartars out for the first time in 15 years?
Bay Springs is starting a handful of freshmen. Don't get fooled into thinking the Dawgs aren't dangerous. For the first time in 39 years, Bay Springs starts the season 6-0. They started 6-0 in 1980 and finished 10-2 with a bowl win before the current playoff format was implemented.
Taylorsville had a first in a long time to happen last Friday night too. But it wasn’t as glamorous. The Tartars were shut out for the first time since 2004 in a 28-0 loss to Jackson Prep.
Those tidbits go out the window THURSDAY night when the two meet in Taylorsville to open Region 5-2A play.
Sorry Dawgs - congratulations on your historic start, but the Tartars are still a step or two ahead of you. Unless Taylorsville brought back the same team, it stepped on the field with at Jackson Prep.
Prediction: Taylorsville 35, Bay Springs 20.
West Jones (5-0) at South Jones (1-5)
I’ll make this short. No disrespect to the Braves, but the Mustangs will roll out of Ellisville late Friday night, still unbeaten and 2-0 in Region 3-5A.
Prediction: West Jones 42, South Jones 3.
Mize (6-0) at Puckett (4-2)
There's one common opponent between the two teams I find compiling. Mize and Puckett have both faced Bogue Chitto so far and in back-to-back weeks. After receiving a 47-3 beatdown from Mize in Week 4, Bogue Chitto took another one from the chin against Puckett, 47-28, in Week 5.
Judging from that one game, Mize has the better defense and defense wins games where the offenses can be high scoring.
Prediction: Mize 27, Puckett 14.
Brookhaven (1-4) at Laurel (4-1)
Based on Brookhaven’s performance against West Jones to start Region 3-5A last week, Laurel should have another blowout win this week like it’s 55-0 massacre of South Jones in Week 6.
Prediction: Laurel 48, Brookhaven 13.
Raleigh (1-4) at Crystal Springs (5-0)
This is my bold prediction of the week.
I'm putting Crystal Springs on upset alert. Raleigh is better than its 1-4 record suggest. Just look at the teams they've played - 2A juggernauts, Taylorsville, Bay Springs, Scott Central, and 4A Northeast Jones.
Raleigh won last year's meeting in Region X-3A, 21-0. I think Raleigh can pull off another win against Crystal Springs, even on the road and also though most might be shocked considering the records each hold.
Prediction: Raleigh 21, Crystal Springs 14.
Other Predictions:
Centreville 28, Sylva Bay 7.
Enterprise 40, Heidelberg 6.
Richland 32, NEJ 14.
Resurrection Catholic 48, Stringer 13.
Richton 42, Wayne Academy 12.
Wayne County 31, PRC 17.
