Not many area preps remaining

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 24, 2003
Area teams still playing football are few and far between heading into this week's MHSAA state semifinal contests.
Class 4A has two area teams hoping to advance to next week's state championships at Jackson. Wayne County hosts West Jones for the 4A South State championship, while Noxubee County goes to Oxford for the 4A North State crown in Friday's contests.
Wayne County's 12-1 War Eagles look to avenge their only loss of 2003 when they host unbeaten West Jones, 13-0, at Waynesboro. West Jones beat Wayne County 23-15 in the ninth week of the season.
Wayne County eased past George County 13-10 last week, while West Jones scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to whip Lawrence County 39-15.
In the War Eagles' win at Lucedale, freshman quarterback Drexler Johnson threw for one touchdown and ran four yards for another.
In beating Lawrence County, the Mustangs of West Jones got a 55-yard punt return from Bruce Ducksworth to snap a 15-15 tie and three touchdown runs from junior running back Archie Smith. Brent Hyatt was 4-of-9 passing for 128 yards.
Both schools are out this entire week for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Tickets are $7 each. Gates will open at 4 p.m.
Also in Class 4A, Noxubee County's 10-3 Tigers travel to Oxford, 9-4. Noxubee struck for two touchdowns in the first five minutes in beating Jackson Provine 20-12 last week. Sophomore quarterback James Patterson accounted for two touchdowns to lead the Tigers. Patterson threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Deion Bryant and scored on a 2-yard run. Linebacker Laquintis Horne added a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Oxford won 14-13 at Louisville last week when the Wildcats missed an extra point. Louisville reached the Chargers' 5-yard line with first-and-goal with eight minutes left, but was penalized for illegal procedure, then turned the ball over on a fumble by quarterback Barry Doss.
Chris Cutcliffe, son of Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe, threw an 87-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Mitchell, but finished the night 4-of-19 for 116 yards.
Forest, 10-2-1, hosts Greene County, 9-4, for the Class 3A South State title at L.O. Atkins Field.
Forest quarterback Keith Brown completed 23-of-28 passes for 287 yards, including a game-winning 45-yard bomb to Michael Townsend with 1:18 left in the Bearcats' 32-26 victory at Hazlehurst last week. Townsend had nine receptions for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Townsend's interception in the end zone kept the game tied at 26-26 and gave Forest a chance for the win.
Greene County knocked off two-time defending state champion Collins 10-7 on a 48-yard pass from Tommy Lott to Dillon McInnis and a 21-yard field goal by John Maxie.
Scott Central, 11-1, hosts Mize, 11-2, for the Class 1A South State championship.
The Rebels got a pair of touchdowns from Chris Holifield in beating Bogue Chitto 26-0 last week.
Mize got a pair of touchdown runs from Jasper Ducksworth to take a 14-7 win over defending Class 1A state champion Puckett.