By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 8, 2002
After an 0-2 start against larger schools, the Union Yellowjackets reeled off seven wins in their next eight outings to set up tonight's game with Puckett for the Region 3-1A championship. Kickoff at Union is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Union, which made its first playoff appearance last year, has never won a division or region championship. The 1985 Jackets finished 9-1, but lost 8-7 in overtime to Enterprise for the league crown. The last championship earned by a Union football team was the 1968 Choctaw Conference Championship.
Puckett comes in 8-0 in 3-1A and 9-0 overall, while Union is 7-1 and 7-3. The two have met only once previously with Puckett taking a 23-20 victory last year at Puckett.
The Wolves won the region championship last year before losing to region rival Pelahatchie in the 1A South State Championship.
Terrell Jackson leads the Wolves with 16 touchdowns. Zack Parker has 12. Anthony Johnson leads Union with 16 touchdowns and 1,336 yards on 147 carries. Quincy Patrick has 11 touchdowns and 543 yards on 110 carries. Patrick is 39-of-106 passing for 610 yards and seven touchdowns. Derrick Harris has 27 receptions for 428 yards and Jordan Robinson has seven catches for 146 yards.
Defensively, Zach Robinson has 70 tackles, Nikos Harris has 48, Derrick Harris and Cordis Thompson both have 45.
North Pike at Newton County
The Cougars finished their regular season with a perfect 10-0 mark for the third time in four years and get a 4-6 North Pike team at Decatur as their reward.
For the year, Darryl Mapp has rushed 157 times for 1,223 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead the Cougar offense. David Fielder has 93 carries for 580 yards and has eight touchdowns. Quarterback Colby Amis has 277 yards on 71 carries and is 32-of-77 passing for 524 yards and six touchdowns. Terrance Patrick has picked up 272 yards on 53 rushes. Delvion Merrell is the leading receiver with 14 catches for 211 yards and four touchdowns.
Defensively, Patrick has 69 tackles, Michael Johnson has 67, Josh Avant 66, Derek Mapp 58, Dexter McCune 53, and Fielder 40. Trellis Skinner has four interceptions.
North Pike is led by 5-foot-9, 245-pound senior running back Clyde Brumfield, who had 613 yards on 137 carries through nine games. Leading the defense is linebacker Dusty Davis, who had 18 tackles in a recent win over Crystal Springs.
Newton at Enterprise
Tigers knocked off previously-undefeated Scott Central in a 28-27 thriller last week and travel to Enterprise for a rematch of their Sept. 27 contest which Newton won 21-8 at Newton. The Tigers also beat the Bulldogs 46-21 last year at Enterprise.
The Tigers trailed Scott Central by two touchdowns at halftime last week before staging a second half comeback.
Both teams are 8-2 following Enterprise's 14-0 win over Seminary last week.
Pisgah at Lake
The Hornets close out their regular season at home against Pisgah in a Region 3-1A contest. Last week's 14-13 loss at Puckett assured Lake of the No. 3 spot in the region and an opening-round game on the road next week.
Lake is 6-4 overall, while Pisgah is 2-7. Lake has won all three previous games in the series which began in 1999.