War Eagles gunning for first state football crown

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Dec. 3, 2002
JACKSON For Wayne County's 13-1 War Eagles, one more win will earn the school's first state championship in football. The War Eagles will get that opportunity Friday night when they take on South Panola, 14-0, at 7:15 p.m. in the Class 5A main event for 2002.
Ricky Woods has the Tigers perfect through 14 weeks in his first year at South Panola after leaving a highly-successful program at Ackerman.
While Wayne County is making its first appearance in the championship game, South Panola is the cunning veteran, playing for all the marbles four times from 1993-98 and winning the championship on two occasions.
Woods wasn't so sure about having any advantage from what previous Tiger teams have done.
All five of the championship games will be carried by ESPN radio on 930 AM.
In Class 4A, d'Iberville, 12-1, faces West Point, 12-2, Saturday at 3 p.m. The Warriors are making their first appearance in the finals while the Green Wave was a powerhouse in the late 1980s. d'Iberville beat George County 20-17 last week on a touchdown with 19.6 seconds remaining.
In Class 3A, powerful Collins, 14-0, comes off a 46-0 pasting of previously-unbeaten Newton County with Amory, 10-4, providing the opposition in Saturday's 7:30 p.m. finals. Collins is the only champion from 2001 that is still in the running for a repeat.
Amory started the year 0-4 before reeling off 10 straight wins.
In Class 2A, four-time winner Taylorsville, 11-3, squares off with Eupora, 13-1, Saturday at 11 a.m.
Eupora has had to battle hard the last two weeks to get to this point.
And in Class 1A, five-time champion Weir, 14-0, takes on Puckett, 12-1, Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Puckett beat Union 20-7 last week.