We are a little more than four weeks away from the start of prep football season.
Many area schools will play preseason games Aug. 14 or 15 to prepare them for the Mississippi High School Activities Association and Mississippi Association of Independent Schools season openers the following weekend.
As we count down the days, here are more questions to ponder as those first heat timeouts of the year draw near.
Q: With the MHSAA in the second of its four-year agreement to play state championship games at Mississippi State and Ole Miss, is there a similar passion to when the move was announced a year ago at this time?
A: The answer is a resounding yes.
Some coaches were sentimental about the two-decade tradition of playing the games in Jackson. However, one of those coaches — Noxubee County coach Tyrone Shorter — admitted recently his team’s state championship experience last December in Starkville was far better than he anticipated.
Last season’s major snag took place in the Friday night Class 6A game, when lightning and heavy rain suspended the game. The teams returned to Starkville to finish the game late in the day Sunday. With more patience, the game could have — and should have — been finished Friday night. The MHSAA also did a poor job of updating everyone during the ordeal. Apparently, the teams were kept informed of what was going on but no one else was.
However, blame for a difficult Friday night can be placed on Mother Nature and the MHSAA’s response to it. Similar issues could have taken place in Jackson.
With the games moving to Oxford, the championship weekend again will be met by open arms from a new host. In the years ahead, look for MSU and Ole Miss to try to do outdo one another on an annual basis. The MHSAA and participating teams will benefit from that attitude.
Q: Looking at New Hope’s Kris Pickle, Caledonia’s Andy Crotwell, and Columbus’ Randal Montgomery, which second-year coach will have the best season?
A: That is a tough question.
New Hope will look to replace the majority of its offensive starters from a 10-win team. The Trojans benefited from an increase in numbers last season and even more players are out for the team this year. Oxford and West Point will continue to be heavyweights in the region. However, there is no reason not to expect New Hope to remain in the mix for years to come.
Columbus also saw a boost in numbers, but that didn’t take place until the spring, as Montgomery said more than 100 players took part in the spring workouts. It will be interesting to see how Montgomery’s up-tempo offense fares with even more options. Columbus won four games last season. However, the Falcons ended the season on a strong note. If the offseason swagger is any indication, Columbus plans to do big things in its return to MHSAA Class 6A, Region 1.
Caledonia won six games and returned to the Class 4A playoffs in Crotwell’s second season. The Confederates return one of the area’s best dual threats in junior quarterback Spencer Unruh. Caledonia won multiple games in come-from-behind fashion a year ago. Learning how to win was something that took time. MHSAA Class 4A, Region 4 will be much better this year that it was a year ago. We will see if the Confederates are, too.
Q: Noxubee County will look for its third state championship in four seasons. Is there a secret to the Tigers’ success?
A: Shorter feels like there are multiple reasons why the program has developed into one of the best in any classification.
While it is one thing to talk about hard work, leadership, and tradition, one simple explanation might be overlooked.
“These kids know hard work because it is all they have ever done,” Shorter said. “Most of them work on farms every day and play football. This is their escape from the hard work. Really, there is nothing else to do here, so it’s all about football. It is something you want to do here. But it is also something you need to do. This is the escape.
“Everyone is always on time for practice here because there is nothing else to do.”
Shorter said the year breaks down to two elements: the 17 weeks football is played and the 35 weeks where everybody looks forward to football being played again.
Q: As offseason workouts wind down and publications begin to highlight the upcoming season, what point have we picked up on?
A: The return of West Point.
After the last couple of seasons where West Point wasn’t vintage West Point, this appears the year that all changes. Led by consensus All-State lineman Scott Lashley, the Green Wave is ready to make some noise.
West Point had some talented young players in the backfield a year ago. The extra seasoning should help West Point make strides in the MHSAA Class 5A, Region 1 race. The West Point-Oxford meeting is again very early in the season. The result could go a long way to determining the North State Class 5A champion.
Q: Each week, we have had a player to watch. Who are we watching this week?
A: This week’s pick might be one of the area’s most under-valued players.
Houston Clark will be a senior quarterback at Starkville Academy. The 6-foot-1, 155-pounder saw a lot of game action as a sophomore and started last season.
While Starkville Academy lost some of its offensive firepower, seniors Drake Gordman and Colt Chrestman also return. This will be the Volunteers first season under new head coach Chase Nicholson.
Clark grew into the leadership role a year ago, as Starkville Academy won 11 games and played for the MAIS Class AAA, Division II state championship. Clark is mobile, smart, and savvy. His growth and experience will be important as the Volunteers look to plug a few holes before taking on the task of dominating a new district lineup.
Scott Walters is a sports writer for The Dispatch. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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