The final week of the regular season isn’t complicated for the Columbus and Starkville high school football teams.
Each squad needs a win to make the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A playoffs.
Around the state, few regular-season games hold the drama of Starkville at Clinton and Hernando at Columbus.
If Horn Lake beats Southaven, Columbus will have to win by seven or more points to make the postseason.
Elsewhere, MHSAA Classes 2A, 3A and 4A begin postseason play Friday night. All five classifications in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) are in postseason play.
With all of that in mind, here is what we are watching for in Week No. 12:
Tigers or Falcons
1. Can Columbus save its season?
If any team is due a complete, four-quarter performance it would be Columbus. The Falcons have only had one of those. It came in the Class 6A, Region 1 opener against DeSoto Central.
After that, there have been stretches of great offensive play and stretches of great defensive play. Columbus hasn’t found a way to keep that going for four quarters.
Both teams will have plenty of incentive to deliver complete efforts Friday night at Falcon Field.
Columbus is 1-4 this year at home. That worksheet includes heart-breaking defeats to West Point, Noxubee County, and South Panola.
Let’s hope instead the home team plays well and delivers its best performance yet.
Yellow Jackets or Arrows
2. Can Starkville save its season?
While Columbus has a slightly easier task, Starkville will have to go to Clinton to face an opponent that has been ranked atop the state rankings for much of the season.
The winner will wrap up the No. 2 seed in Class 6A, Region 2. However, the Arrows already know they are in the postseason.
Finding Starkville in this spot is quite compelling. However, injuries have hurt the Yellow Jackets. Early season losses to Madison Central and Northwest Rankin put the squad in this position.
Clinton most likely will remember losing to Starkville twice last season.
That being said, Starkville has to have a higher level of confidence after surprising everyone in the region by beating Warren Central a week ago.
Starkville will need an equally compelling upset to make the postseason. The good news is the Yellow Jackets now know they can do it.
Rams or Tigers
3. Will Maliek Stallings throw for 10 touchdowns for Noxubee County on Friday night?
That might sound preposterous, but big things like that could happen when Indianola Gentry (1-9) takes on Noxubee County (7-4) in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
It’s frustrating that the MHSAA playoff system gives us quality matchups like this one. Teams winning one game don’t deserve to be in the postseason.
Meanwhile, Noxubee County has bigger fish to fry. The Tigers have won 10-straight playoff games in the last two seasons. This season, Noxubee County will try to become the first team in Class 4A to win three-straight championships.
Stallings should enjoy this one for a little while. Then he will get to watch some of his teammates play.
Mavericks or Patriots
4. Can Heritage Academy win its 10th game?
It is hard to fathom Heritage Academy is closing in on that threshold. Coach Sean Harrison’s squad can get there Friday night by beating Manchester Academy in the second round of the MAIS playoffs at home.
A victory against Manchester Academy could set up a rematch against Indianola Academy, but Heritage Academy doesn’t need to look ahead. The good news is this squad has been grounded this season and always has played in the moment.
The Patriots’ offense is playing some special football. A week ago, Heritage Academy opened the playoffs with a 77-47 victory against St. Aloysius.
The good times should continue Friday night.
Volunteers or Rebels
5. Can Starkville Academy pull the road upset?
That is what Starkville Academy signed up for.
Coach Chase Nicholson takes pride in his team playing big games on a consistent basis. On Friday, Starkville Academy will face Adams County Christian School in the second round of the MAIS playoffs in Natchez.
ACCS will be one of the best teams Starkville Academy has taken on this season. Nicholson said the Volunteers still haven’t played a complete game. This would be a great time for that to take place.
There was a time when Starkville Academy struggled to beat anybody. Now, the team holds its own against anyone in the state.
We will see what the future holds. Starkville Academy has the ability to get the job done.
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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