GAME OF THE WEEK

FRIDAY NIGHT MATCHUPS GAME OF THE WEEK:

A GUIDE TO MATCHUPS WORTH SEEING EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT

AUGUST 26 H.L. “Hook” Stone Stadium, Wesson

Night two of the KDMC Kickoff Classic will be a good one as the Tylertown Chiefs visit the campus of Copiah-Lincoln CC to take on the Wesson Cobras. The teams met in the same event last season and Wesson built a 24-point lead that Tylertown erased late for a 46-30 win. The Kickoff Classic begins on Thursday night with Lawrence County and Brookhaven High meeting in the opener. Now in its seventh year, the KDMC Kickoff Classic is a classy event that’s showcased teams from all over southwest Mississippi.

SEPTEMBER 2 Harry Cole Field, Brookhaven

Former Loyd Star assistant coach Adam Smith brings his Ethel Tigers to face the Enterprise Yellow Jackets on Cole Field in the season opener for EAC. The teams were scheduled to meet last year, but a COVID-19 cancelation kept that from happening. Ethel went 7-5 last season with two of those losses coming via forfeits. Enterprise whipped Hillcrest Christian last season in their opener, but the Cougars didn’t want to play this year thus the wait until week two for the Jackets.

SEPTEMBER 9 W.E. “Sambo” Smith Field, Brookhaven

Head to Loyd Star to see another Hornet alum leading their own program as Salem visits Loyd Star in a non-region game. First year Salem head coach John Smith took over after being an assistant coach last season at the Walthall County school. Smith has also been an assistant at Yazoo County in his career. Don’t be surprised to see his dad, photographer Johnny Smith, on the sideline with a lens focused on both teams.

SEPTEMBER 16

Perry Miller Field, Brookhaven

West Lincoln is a young team with just over 20 players on the varsity roster in 2022. Last season was surprisingly the first meeting between the Bears and the McLaurin Tigers. The visitors from Rankin County make the return trip to Flea Hop this year and are coached by first year head coach Will Hedgepeth. If you’re in the stadium, make sure you get a burger from the West Lincoln concession stand. It’s one of the best in the area.

SEPTEMBER 23

King Field, Brookhaven

West Jones at Brookhaven High is always a game that draws a big crowd. The Mustangs won the region last season and beat BHS solidly in Soso, but the Panthers got better as the season progressed to finish as runners-up in the division. This one could again decide the region title. West Jones coach Scott Pierson and BHS head man Tucker Peavey are longtime friends that run tight programs that preach fundamental football.

SEPTEMBER 30

LC Cougar Field, Monticello

Don’t show up late to this one because you got stuck in line waiting for a “Big One” at Wards. If you do, you might miss the first half. Expect the clock to run quickly as the ground-based double wing offense run by Lawrence County entertains a similar system run by the visiting Aggies of Forrest County AHS. The Aggies are back under the leadership of head coach Larry Dolan, who left D’Ibverville to come back to Brooklyn. FCAHS used a ground and pound offense under Dolan to win a state title in 2013.

OCTOBER 7

W.L. “Sambo” Smith Field, Brookhaven

Like my old buddy Nathan Case says it, two words — Possum Bowl. It’s always a joy to watch Bogue Chitto and Loyd Star face off in the only football game dedicated to our native marsupials. The Possum Bowl often decides who’ll win Region 7-2A and that might be the case again this season as both BC and Loyd Star return tons of contributors in 2022. Loyd Star won a thriller of a PB last season at Bogue Chitto by a 26-24 margin. If the game lives up to that level this season the winning fans will leave with a smile like a possum chewing on a peach seed.

SEPTEMBER 14

R.M. “Red” Stuart Field, Brookhaven

The legend, Bill Hurst, brings his Centreville Tigers to Brookhaven Academy for the last home game of the regular season. Centreville dominated the series for many, many years as the Tigers won 19 of the first 20 meetings and still hold a 34-11 advantage all time. BA has been the big dog of late though as the Cougars come into the 2022 version of the matchup riding a 4-game winning streak over the purple and gold clad Tigers.

OCTOBER 21

H.L. “Hook” Stone Stadium, Wesson

They’re saying that one day, Magee High as we know it will cease to exist after consolidation with Mendenhall. We’ll all believe that the Trojans and Tigers will lie down together when we see it though. For now, Magee is under the leadership of a new head coach in Chuck Maxey. Maxey was an assistant last year at Wesson and is in his second stint as HC at Magee. Expect a fast-paced matchup when the always athletic Trojans face a Wesson offense that loves to go vertical behind senior QB Will Loy.

OCTOBER 28

King Field, Brookhaven

A solid rivalry has built over the years between the Brookhaven High Panthers and the Natchez Bulldogs. The drama doesn’t ramp up to the level one would find in a Greg Iles thriller, but the schools have had some exciting matchups as region mates over the last decade. Coach Tucker Peavey’s Panthers close with back-to-back home games to end the regular season as they’ll also host South Jones on Nov. 3.