Another excellent week of prep football action is on tap throughout the Golden Triangle area.
Noxubee County-West Point, Starkville-Meridian, and New Hope-Caledonia make for some outstanding matchups as teams are beginning to wind down their respective non-region schedules.
Here are some things to watch for in the fifth week of the regular season:
Tigers or Green Wave
Will the West Point offense finally reach elite status?
While West Point has lots of talent on both sides of the ball, it would be natural to be concerned about the offense three games into the season.
West Point needed a strong fourth quarter to put away Louisville in the opener. After that, the team has combined for three touchdowns in a loss to Starkville and a victory against Columbus.
Noxubee County also took a step backward offensively last week in a home loss to Meridian. A youthful squad might have played over its head in a narrow loss to Starkville and a narrow victory against Columbus.
It goes without saying, turnovers and penalties could be deciding factors in this one. However, the outcome most likely will hinge on which offense takes flight, or which defense stands tallest.
Yellow Jackets or Wildcats
Can Starkville reach 4-0?
The schedule has provided many challenges. However, Starkville has been up to each one.
Last week’s open date came at a good time for Ricky Woods’ squad. The week off allowed the Yellow Jackets to rest and to re-assess some of the things that weren’t going well. However, those things have been few and far between in victories against Noxubee County, Oxford, and West Point.
Meridian didn’t play well in the New Hope Jamboree. The Wildcats quickly turned the page, though, and are 3-1. The loss was an overtime setback to Madison Central in the season opener.
Meridian doesn’t have typical Class 6A numbers, with around 50 players on the roster. Starkville most likely will push that roster to the brink.
It’s another big challenge. Ray Stadium is still one of the great places in this state to watch a game.
Look for Starkville to carry a full head of steam and 4-0 record into region play.
Trojans or Confederates
Will New Hope bounce back?
After a 2-0 start to the season, New Hope suffered a 49-21 home loss to Columbus. The Trojans then had a week off to reflect before getting set for another county rival, Caledonia.
New Hope had turned some heads with victories against Louisville and Aberdeen. The loss to Columbus would have been much closer if a handful of deep balls to open receivers had connected.
Caledonia (3-1) has won three games in the first four weeks of the season for the third-straight season. The Confederates have put up yards and points. If will be interesting to see if the strong offensive play early continues against New Hope’s defense.
For Caledonia, recent struggles have been inside region play. A victory against New Hope would be a good springboard for that region slate. It also would snap an 11-game losing streak in the series. Caledonia last beat New Hope (14-10) on Sept. 10, 2004, at New Hope.
New Hope is eager to show it is better than how it played against Columbus. The Trojans should relish an opportunity to prove it against one of their biggest rivals.
Pirates or Lions
Can Hamilton win its first game of the season?
When winless Coffeeville and Hamilton meet Friday night, one team will final taste success. It is the Class 1A, Region 1 opener for Hamilton.
The last thing a Class 1A team needs is injuries. The Lions have been fighting uphill on the injury front for each of the last two seasons. The team plays hard but rarely has the manpower to stay competitive for four quarters.
It is still early enough in the season for the winner here to reverse their fortunes. The top four teams in the region advance to the playoffs. The winner will earn the right to fight a little bit harder the rest of the way.
Volunteers or Generals
Will Starkville Academy bounce back?
The best thing for a team after a one-sided loss is to be able to play the following week. After a 40-0 loss to Lamar School last week, Starkville Academy will get that opportunity with a date at Washington School.
Starkville Academy has a chance to compete for the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA state championship. The Volunteers can’t let a loss to a Class AAAA opponent derail those thoughts.
Starkville Academy needs to use the game against Lamar School as motivation and as a learning tool. The team has the capability of repeating as district champions and making a run at a state title.
Washington School will provide another huge challenge. The Volunteers should be eager to redeem themselves.
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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