By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 3, 2002
With Newton County 5-0 and Choctaw Central 1-4, you wouldn't think the two Division 5-3A teams would have much in common. Cougars' head coach Jeff Breland thinks otherwise.
The teams will be meeting for just the fourth time as the Warriors moved up to Class 3A in 1999. Newton County won last year's matchup 50-12 to grab a 3-0 series advantage.
The Cougars blanked West Lauderdale 28-0 last week, while the Warriors dropped a 9-7 heartbreaker at unbeaten Scott Central when a 22-yard field goal with three seconds remaining was blocked.
Shaun Jimmie was 6-of-8 passing for 75 yards for the Warriors. Kyle Thompson and Anselm Henry led the defense with eight tackles each.
Williams-Sullivan
at Newton
The Tigers host the Division 5-2A doormat Williams-Sullivan Yellowjackets Friday night at E.L. Morgan Field.
Newton needed less than a half last year to hammer the Jackets 46-0 in a contest that was halted due to bad weather. And that was a decision that suited Williams-Sullivan officials just fine.
The Jackets were 0-10 last fall and are off to an 0-5 start in 2002.
Despite having played just one home game thus far, the Newton Tigers are off to a 4-1 start after knocking Enterprise from the unbeaten ranks 21-8 last week. Travaone Evans scored two touchdowns (2 and 3-yard runs) and Coshune Bingham (23-yard pass) added another against the Bulldogs.
Pelahatchie at Union
The defending Class 1A state champion Chiefs have found the going tough the past two weeks, losing 41-2 at Lake two weeks ago and 25-0 to Puckett at home last week.
Through four games, the Chiefs have only scored four touchdowns. None of their players have more than one.
This will be just the third meeting between the two with the series knotted at 1-1 following Pelahatchie's 7-6 win last year.
Union comes in with a 2-3 overall mark and a 2-1 showing in Region 3-1A. Pelahatchie is 1-3 and 1-2.
Union blasted Sebastopol 33-12 last week with Quincy Patrick and Anthony Johnson both getting a pair of touchdowns.
Noxapater at Lake
These two tradition-rich small schools have met six times since the series began in 1993 with Lake holding a 4-3 advantage after last year's 34-20 victory.
Noxapater heads to Death Valley with an 0-5 overall record and an 0-3 Region 3-1A mark. Lake is 2-3 and 2-1.
Lake claimed a 37-23 win at Nanih Waiya last week to get right back in the playoff picture. Noxapater lost 21-14 at home to Nanih Waiya two weeks ago.
Newton Co. Academy
at Hebron Christian
The Generals head to Pheba, located in southwest Clay County near West Point, to take on the Eagles for the first time in school history. NCA will be looking for its second consecutive win after knocking off Central Academy 22-16 last week behind a touchdown apiece from Daniel Grimes (32-yard pass), Lee Blackburn (78-yard run), and Dustin McGowin (1-yard run).
Hebron, meanwhile, was a 32-6 winner over Calhoun Academy as the Eagles improved to 2-3.