16 area squads in football playoffs

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 4, 2003
Sixteen area football teams will be taking part in MHSAA and MPSA football playoff games this week.
Class 4A and Class 2A both have six area participants.
In Friday's Class 4A action, Neshoba Central, 5-5, goes to Noxubee County, 7-3; Louisville, 7-3, travels to Amory, 8-2; Wayne County, 9-1, hosts Vancleave, 8-2; and Quitman, 6-4, travels to the coast to take on St. Stanislaus, 5-5, at Bay St. Louis.
Northeast Lauderdale, 4-6, will play Gautier, 7-2, Saturday at Pascagoula. The Gators play their home games at Pascagoula's War Memorial Stadium which will be occupied Friday night by the Pascagoula-Moss Point regular season battle.
The Neshoba Central-Noxubee County contest pairs off two former division members before the Tigers were placed in a new league this fall.
Wayne County finds a tough first-round matchup in Vancleave, which comes in with a four-game win streak. Its losses were to Gautier and St. Stanislaus.
Quitman may have gotten a break with the Rockachaws of St. Stanislaus, who have losses to Oak Grove, Long Beach, Ocean Springs, Pass Christian, and Gautier.
In Gautier, the Trojans of Northeast Lauderdale catch a team that has lost only to Moss Point and George County in the first three weeks of the season. The Gators enter the playoffs with a six-game win streak.
Class 2A is also loaded with area participants. Philadelphia, 8-2, hosts Gulfport St. John, 3-7; Enterprise, 6-4, travels to Utica to take on Hinds AHS, 7-3; Kemper County carries a 2-8 record to Lumberton, 9-1; Heidelberg visits "Sambo" Smith Field outside Brookhaven to take on unbeaten Loyd Star, 10-0; Lake, 5-5, hosts Perry Central, 6-4; and Newton, 4-6, goes to East Marion, 8-2.
Only two area teams advanced to the Class 3A playoffs. West Lauderdale, 8-2, hosts Purvis, 5-5; while Newton County, 6-4, travels to Leakesville, 6-4, to take on Greene County, 6-4.
West beat Carthage 24-13 last week. Purvis has wins over Perry Central, Poplarville, West Marion, Columbia, and Sumrall and losses to Lumberton, Pearl River Central, Seminary, Greene County, and Tylertown. The Tornadoes are riding a three-game win streak after losing 14-13 to Tylertown.
Newton County extended its win streak to five with a 28-14 victory over Choctaw Central last week. Greene County has wins over George County, Poplarville, Purvis, Columbia, Sumrall, and West Marion to go with losses to Collins, Moss Point, Niceville, Fla.; and Tylertown.
Two MPSA Class A matches are on tap. Heidelberg Academy, 9-2, goes to Strider Academy, 8-3, while Wayne Academy, 6-4, hosts Briarfield, La., 8-3.
Heidelberg knocked off Sylva-Bay Academy 21-7 last week in first-round action, while Strider routed DeSoto (Ark.) 47-19. Strider's losses were to Tallulah, La.; Sharkey-Issaquena, and North Delta.
Wayne won 24-6 at Central Holmes last week, while Briarfield beat Lee (Ark.) 48-42. Briarfield's losses were to Hillcrest Christian, Sharkey-Issaquena, and Tallulah. Briarfield has a 25-0 win over Academy 3-A member Central Academy to its credit.
Other classifications will begin their playoffs next week.
Prep Football Playoffs
Class 4A
Neshoba Central (5-5) at Noxubee County (7-3)
Louisville (7-3) at Amory (8-2)
Vancleave (8-2) at Wayne County (9-1)
Quitman (6-4) at St. Stanislaus (5-5)
Northeast Lauderdale (4-6) at Gautier (7-2), Saturday
Class 3A
Purvis (5-5) at West Lauderdale (8-2)
Newton County (6-4) at Greene County (6-4)
Class 2A
St. John (3-7) at Philadelphia (8-2)
Enterprise (6-4) at Hinds AHS (7-3)
Kemper County (2-8) at Lumberton (9-1)
Heidelberg (6-4) at Loyd Star (10-0)
Perry Central (6-4) at Lake (5-5)
Newton (4-6) at East Marion (8-2)
Academy Class A
Heidelberg (9-2) at Strider (8-3)
Briarfield (8-3) at Wayne (6-4)