Tigers look to keep playoff hopes alive

By Staff
from staff reports
Oct. 15, 2004
For the Tigers of Southeast Lauderdale it's pretty simple: If they lose to Morton on Friday night their playoffs hopes are gone.
A win doesn't secure a playoff shot, but it certainly makes it more likely.
SEL goes into the road game with a 3-4 overall mark and a 1-3 Division 5-3A mark, with three games to go. Four of the seven teams in the division will make the playoffs.
With Newton County, Forest and West Lauderdale all looking like locks for playoff spots and Choctaw Central being winless at 0-7, that leaves Southeast Lauderdale, Morton and Carthage battling for the final playoff position.
Morton is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in league play, having picked up Division 5-3A wins over Carthage (24-14) and Choctaw Central (24-18). The Panthers' league loss was 31-30 to Newton County last week.
Trahan says the key to holding Morton's offense in check will be keeping an eye on quarterback Shay Hodge.
Southeast will try to take advantage of a balanced attack, using the passing of senior quarterback Drew Harper and the hard running of backs Marcus Walker and Aaron Larkin.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Austin Bishop
Lamar at
Presbyterian Chrisitan
The Lamar Raiders will try to move into the postseason with a victory over Presbyterian Christian in Hattiesburg tonight at 7.
The Raiders, now 4-3 and 2-1 in Class AAA play, have won their last three games including a 58-8 victory over Wayne Academy last week.
Lamar's main task tonight will be to stop PCS triple-threat Chase Herring. Herring has played quarterback, running back and wingback for Presbyterian Christian this season and is much of the team's offense.
The Raiders will try to use their depth to overcome their opponent this week.
Lamar will rely on an uptempo pace led by quarterback Scott Owen. The senior leads the team in rushing with 436 yards on 70 carries and has completed 81-of-148 passes for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Parker Payne has 198 yards on 51 carries to help the Raider rushing attack.
Dustin Gray leads the team with 559 yards receiving on 23 catches and has scored six touchdowns this year. Brannon Harrison has 249 receiving yards, and Dustin Rivers has 201 yards.
Ryan Satcher
Neshoba Central at
NE Lauderdale
Friday's 41-38 loss wasn't the first for Neshoba Central, but it may have been the most disappointing.
Leading 7-0 in the game's final minutes, Neshoba Central gave up a game-tying touchdown and later lost in the fifth overtime session.
The Rockets (1-6) will try to bounce back in tonight's road game against Northeast Lauderdale (2-5).
The Trojans are coming off a 42-7 blowout loss to No. 2 Wayne County, but Northeast Lauderdale trailed by just seven points at halftime against the War Eagles.
Defense continues to haunt Neshoba Central, which has held only one opponent to under 20 points this season. The Rockets have given up more than 30 points in three of their seven games.
The Trojans will also hope to re-energize their offense, which has struggled over the last two weeks. Since putting up 22 and 42 points against Northeast Jones and Florence, Northeast Lauderdale has scored just 16 points in its last two games.
The Trojans will also hope to re-energize their offense, which has struggled over the last two weeks. Since putting up 22 and 42 points against Northeast Jones and Florence, Northeast Lauderdale has scored just 16 points in its last two games.
Quarterback Maurice Langston, upon whose shoulders the Trojans will place that task, threw his fourth touchdown pass of the season against Wayne County. Langston has scored either a rushing touchdown or a passing touchdown in six of Northeast Lauderdale's seven games.
Will Bardwell