By Staff
ON A ROLL – Northeast Lauderdale High School head coach Steve Nelson talks things over with his troops during a recent game. The Trojans are set to take on No. 14 West Jones tonight in an attempt to pick up their fourth straight victory. Photo by Paula Merirtt/The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd / staff Writer
Sept. 26, 2002
Parklane Academy out of McComb brings another tradition-rich program to Lamar School's Grey Cobb Field Friday night.
The visiting Pioneers are the third MPSA AAA heavyweight to come to Meridian in the past four weeks.
Lamar has been a vastly improved team in 2002 but both of its losses have come at home against those prior two powers in Jackson Prep and last week to MRA by the score of 36-21.
Unlike Prep or MRA, Parklane brings a different type of attack.
Parklane lost to Centreville 28-5 last week.
The Raider defense allowed four touchdown passes to MRA quarterback Wally Cummins. Cummins tossed TD passes of 35, 57, 51 and 24 yards.
Lane Rush nearly countered Cummin's big game by rushing for a career high 219 yards off 31 carries.
Junior quarterback Drew Moffett still leads the Raiders offense. Moffett has completed 58-of-119 passes for 853 yards and five touchdowns.
Daniel Harrison has 26 receptions for 498 yards and three scores. Blake Olmsted has 12 catches for 228 yards.
Rush paces the ground game with 376 yards off 76 carries. Moffett adds 251 yards while Dylan Anderson has 233 and four touchdowns.
Northeast Lauderdale at West Jones
Northeast Lauderdale takes its strong defensive unit to Jones County to battle unbeaten and 14th ranked West Jones in a key Division 5-4A game in Soso.
The Trojans won their third straight game last week, blanking Magee 25-0. It also marked the third time this year the Trojans had a defensive touchdown.
Michael McShane returned an interception for a score to seal up the Magee game for coach Steve Nelson's club.
Offensively, the Trojans are led by 230-pound back Marcus Betts, quarterback Rod Smith and wingback Dontray Walker.
West Jones enters with a 4-0 record. The Mustangs pulled out a 21-17 win at Mendenhall last week.
Running back Justin Jones leads the Mustangs having scored nine touchdowns this season including three at Mendenhall.
West Jones is averaging a league best 28.7 points per game. Northeast has allowed just 14 points since a 43-28 opening loss to Heidelberg.
Clarkdale at McLaurin
The Bulldogs will try to bounce back from last week's tough 35-7 loss to unbeaten Seminary.
Clarkdale suffered eight turnovers including seven lost fumbles. None hurt worst than a 55-yard fumble return in the third quarter that finished off the Bulldogs' three-game winning streak.
Clarkdale faces another tough challenge this week. McLaurin ran its record to 3-1 last week by handing rival Richland its first loss, 14-6. McLaurin is averaging 20 points per game this season.
The Bulldogs are led by running back Kevin Matthews who has rushed for 179 yards in his last two starts. Quarterback Justin Culpepper has thrown for a touchdown pass in each of the past two games.
Southeast Lauderdale at Heidelberg
The Oilers of Heidelberg are the surprise team of Division 5-3A this season and on Friday they celebrate homecoming when Southeast Lauderdale visits.
Heidelberg whipped West Lauderdale 36-7 last week to earn its first division win and move to 3-1 on the season. Southeast suffered a 22-6 loss at home to Carthage in its division opener.
The Tigers have lost lost three straight since a season-opening 28-0 win over Coffeeville.
Heidelberg is paced by quarterback Michael Johnson who is second in the division in scoring with 44 points. Johnson has scored six touchdowns, to go with three extra point kicks, a two-point conversion and a field goal.
Southeast is led by running back Andy Landrum who has three touchdowns and quarterback Drew Harper. Harper had the team's lone score against Carthage on a 35-yard TD pass to Rod Baskin.