Lamar opens 2004 with tough tests

By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
July 26, 2004
The Raiders of Lamar School will have to battle a tough schedule to defend their MPSA Class AAA Division II State Championship.
Lamar will open the season with four teams that played in state championship games last season. The Raiders will try to use the four early tests to prepare for a difficult division schedule.
Lamar hopes an off week on the first week of the season will help it get a little more preparation time in before the season gets underway.
The Raiders will open the year on the road against Heritage Academy.
Lamar will then open division play against MPSA powerhouse Jackson Prep at home and will host Simpson Academy in the third week of the season.
The Raiders will travel to play Jackson Academy in the fourth week of the season. After the first four weeks of the season, Lamar will get back to division play, hosting Parklane Academy.
The Raiders knocked off Parklane in the past two seasons and the game should turn out to be a battle.
The division matchups with the smaller schools in the AAA schedule will follow the battle with Parklane. The division road will not be easy for the Raiders this season.
Lamar will travel to Central Private in the sixth week of the season.
After a tough non-division game at Wayne Academy, the Raiders finish off a stretch of away games with the trip to play new division foe Presbyterian Christian.
The final game of the division matchups with smaller AAA schools will come on Oct. 22 when Madison Ridgeland Academy comes to town to take on the Raiders.
Lamar defeated MRA twice last season, including a big win in the state championship game.
MRA will now battle the Raiders for one of the two spots into the postseason after moving from the North into the South division.
The Raiders finish out the year by hosting Columbia Academy and taking a trip to play Hillcrest Christian.