Lamar takes streak into playoffs
By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Nov. 12, 2002
Lamar School will take a two-game winning streak into the MPSA AAA Division II playoffs Friday night. The Raiders, 7-4, will host Magnolia Heights in a MPSA semifinal contest at Grey Cobb Field in Meridian.
The Raiders are the lone Lauderdale County team still playing football. Clarkdale was eliminated from the 2A playoffs by Bay Springs 17-7. Meridian closed out its regular season with a 23-20 loss at Hattiesburg.
Head coach Mac Barnes said his team is excited about hosting a playoff game at home.
The Raiders locked up the MPSA AAA Division II South title by beating Hillcrest Christian 19-7 in Jackson last Friday. The win, however, came at a great cost. The Raiders lost standout senior receiver Daniel Harrison for the season.
Harrison is the team's leading receiver having caught 38 passes for 619 yards entering the Hillcrest game. His is the fourth major injury the Raiders have suffered this season. Quarterback Drew Moffett has a broken collarbone and his status is still highly questionable for the Magnolia Heights' playoff game.
Around the area, several teams are still in the hunt for state titles.
No game may be bigger than the MPSA North State A title game between arch-rivals Heidelberg Academy and Wayne Academy. Both teams won second-round games on the road last week and will square off for the second time in four weeks when Wayne (8-3) visits Heidelberg Academy (11-1) on Friday.
Two more rematches are on the menu in the second round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association playoffs.
Bay Springs, fresh off its road win at Clarkdale, will get to host Enterprise in a second-round Class 2A playoff game on Friday. Bay Springs is 7-4 while Enterprise is 8-3. Enterprise won 21-0 in Enterprise earlier this season.
Noxubee County and all-everything quarterback Omarr Conner must head to Louisville for a second round 4A match-up. The Tigers (10-1) beat Jackson Lanier 28-9 last week in Macon in a first-round game. Louisville, 7-4, surprised Pearl 22-10 on the road and gets the rematch at R.E. Hinze Stadium. Noxubee won the regular season match-up.
The top seeds all won in match-ups involving Region 5-3A against Region 7-3A. Unbeaten Newton County and Heidelberg, seeds No. 1 and 2 from Region 5, all won at home. Philadelphia and Carthage, seeds 3 and 4, all lost.
This week, Newton County's state-best defense in terms of points allowed, faces Franklin County at home in Decatur. The Cougars went to 11-0 on the season after blanking North Pike 36-0.
The Heidelberg Oilers, 9-2, whipped Wilkinson County 38-18 last week in the first round. Heidelberg will host Hazlehurst who beat Philadelphia 34-12 in its first-round 3A playoff.
The Class 1A playoffs get underway Friday. The Union Yellow Jackets, 8-3, won its first Regional/Divisional title in football after upending Puckett 18-13 in Union last week. Union will host Enterprise-Lincoln, the No. 4 seed out of Region 4.
Lake heads to Dexter for a first round 1A contest. Nanih Waiya, 8-3, made it as the No. 4 team from Region 3 and will head to Region 3's No. 1 team in Mize (9-2) for a first round game on Friday.
In Alabama, unbeaten and top-ranked in Class 2A Southern Choctaw opened the playoffs by ripping New Brockton 38-0. The 10-0 Indians will host 10-1 Highland Home on Friday in a second-round game in Silas, Ala.
