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AA Fan Da Man's Weekly Predictions

South AA Week 11 Picks

Da Man enters the final week of the regular season at 68-19 after a 7-2 mark last week. Week eleven produces three huge match ups. The featured game of the week is #1 Trinity at #2 Centreville. Also a game of interest will be #5 Simpson at Bowling Green. The game with the most on the line is the Oak Forest at Silliman game which was originally scheduled for week three but was postponed due to the storm. The winner can punch their ticket to travel north as a wildcard squad while the loser could need help to advance. On another note there seems to be lots of confusion (at least for me) as to which teams are home teams. While the MPSA playoff bracket clearly showed which seeds would be the host team apparently the old coin flip is still in play. I may be the only one who wishes the MPSA would have one set standard guideline with regards to district tie-breakers and playoff host teams. The behind the back with eyes closed coin flip needs to be shelved unless there are unusual circumstances. Fans deserve to be informed about preseason agreements made amongst coaches or school representatives. Back to the final week, twelve games are on tap!

"Let's Roll".............

*Trinity (10-0 & 4-0) at Centreville (8-2 & 4-1)...........Could be the game of the year in the south. Two rich football programs collide in a match up that should be hard to get a seat at. The defending AA State Champions host the team they defeated in last year's semi-final game in Natchez 35-14. Trinity comes in after winning the past two regular season games against CA by an average of 13 points. Centreville is playing the best football in the south after a slow start while Trinity has won 35 of their last 38 games over the past three years. Trinity will rely on quarterback Giovonni Dent to run the potent Saint offense while Centreville has solid senior leadership at quarterback in Kyle Brown and the reliable running of Zach Sinclair. Despite questions about playing time and protecting players from injury before the playoffs begin I think these two will lay it on the line Friday night. I think Centreville starts the first round of the playoffs with tons of momentum..............Tigers over Saints 28-22.

*Simpson (7-2 & 3-1) at Bowling Green (7-2 & 3-2).........These two are playoffs bound but both need this win. Bowling Green is coming off a disappointing home loss to Central Private while Simpson shut out Prentiss. These two met last year at season's end at SCA with the Cougars handing the Bucs a stinging 33-14 loss. Friday night provides one squad with a glaring weakness which just happens to be the other's bread and butter. Bowling Green's trouble stopping the run was evident against Centreville and last week against Central Private. The Bucs must sell out against the run and make SCA pass the ball to have a chance at a win. Simpson has good play from QB Kyle Munn and great running from Casey Hunt. The Bucs need an even mix of run and passing to maintain ball control. Time of possession will be the biggest stat of this game. SCA has a solid defense coupled with their run attack.............Cougars over Buccaneers 27-16.

*Oak Forest (4-5 & 1-3) at Silliman (3-5 & 1-3)..........These two squads have the most at stake this week to say the least. A north wildcard spot hangs in the balance as these District 5AA foes meet in Clinton Friday night. Silliman is coming off a surprising three point loss against Parklane while Oak Forest shut out ASC 28-0. Silliman averages 19.6 points a game but yields 24.5 a game which ranks them 5th in District 5AA. On the flipside OFA averages 18.4 a contest and gives up 18.6…..see where this trend is headed? The Jackets have been in some close battles this season and have won the past two match ups against Silliman in which they held the Wildcats to 6 and 7 points respectively. Silliman has dropped their last four games and I think Oak Forest is due for a big game…………….Jackets over Wildcats 19-16.

*Columbia (3-7 & 2-2) at Huntington (6-3 & 6-1)………….Columbia coach Mitch Mitchell continues his rebuilding efforts as his Cougars battle the Huntington Hounds Friday night. Columbia is coming off a big home win over District 4AA foe Copiah last Friday night and will look to finish the regular season on a high note. Huntington is a solid single-A squad but has the habit of giving up lots of points. I have the feeling that the Cougars will be just as pumped as they were last week……………….Cougars over Hounds 24-18.

*Presbyterian (5-4 & 2-4) at Copiah (5-5 & 2-2)………….The Copiah Colonels are coming off a stinging loss at the hands of Columbia last week and desperately need this win over AAA Presbyterian to preserve any hopes of a wildcard bid. Copiah has won the past two meetings by 3 and 7 points which leads one to believe that this one should be close as well. PCS is coming off a four point win over East Rankin. Copiah had won four straight and were in the driver’s seat in District 4AA until two poor performances against Simpson and Columbia (Yes, I picked Copiah both times). With a slim hope of a playoff bid riding on the final game of the season……………….Bobcats over Colonels 21-20.

*Brookhaven (7-3 & 3-1) at Manchester (3-6 & 1-3)……………The Brookhaven Cougars look to go into the playoffs with momentum as they travel to end the regular season at Manchester of District 2AA. The Cougars are coming off a 41-18 win at Adams Christian while Manchester has lost their last four including a 31-0 shutout last week at the hands of Leake. It won’t get any better for Manchester Friday night as they face a tough BA defense and well balanced offense. Manchester gives up six more points a game than they score which will not bode well Friday night against the District 4AA Champions. I think the Cougars get up early and play it safe the second half…………….Cougars over Mavericks 34-13.

*River Oaks (6-3 & 3-1) at Cenla (3-5 & 3-4)……….The River Oaks Mustangs hit the road to finish out the regular season as they face the Cenla Lions. Cenla gives up lots of points (29.3) and RO should be able to capitalize as often as they want. River Oaks has been playing solid football of late and should enter the first round of the playoffs as a dangerous opponent. Solid senior leadership and quarterback play from Cody Trichell will propel the Stangs to an easy win……………..Mustangs over Lions 42-7.

*Riverfield (5-4 & 2-2) at Claiborne (3-7 & 2-5)……………The Riverfield Raiders and the Claiborne Rebels battle it out in Haynesville Friday night. Riverfield is coming off a 10 point loss to Trinity while CA comes in after a 22 point loss to Huntington. The Raiders should lock up a south wildcard spot with a convincing win over the Rebels. Running back Brad Rogers and linebacker Jon Taylor Davis should have big games as the Raiders close out the regular season……………Raiders over Rebels 37-12.

*Prairie View (2-7 & 0-4) at Glenbrook (8-2 & 7-0)…………The Prairie View Spartans look to end on a high note as they travel to Minden Friday night to face the defending single-A champion Glenbrook Apaches. The past two meetings were each won by the home team…..2007 Glenbrook won 37-0 and last season PVA won 36-8. By all standards Prairie View has had a disappointing season while Glenbrook has a solid chance of repeating as state champs. Friday night we’ll see PVA’s Allen Spires play his last game as a Spartan…….Spires has been one of the best running backs in all of AA the past few years and should definitely represent the south at the all-star game. Spires got several “Shout Outs” last season but there have been few this season so here’s a big Da Man “Shout Out” to one of our best. Good Luck Allen! It would be great if PVA could finish up on a good note but……………Apaches over Spartans 44-14.

*Newton (5-4 & 2-2) at Prentiss (2-7 & 0-4)………….The Prentiss Saints host the Newton Generals in the season finale for the District 4AA squad. While Newton is a single-A opponent they're probably not the team Prentiss would want to finish up their season with. The Generals are solid and can put up the points and Prentiss can give them up, spells trouble………………Generals over Saints 40-15.

*WCCA (3-7 & 1-6) at Amite School Center (0-10 & 0-5)…………I’m pulling for ACS to finish off strong. My heart says ASC but my brain says WCCA……………………..Rams over Rebels 30-26.

*Adams County Christian School (1-9 & 1-3) at Riverdale (4-4 & 4-3)………….ACCS is coming off a home loss to Brookhaven while Riverdale comes in after a 46-0 win over Franklin. I think Riverdale is still in the playoff hunt mathematically. I’ve been to Riverdale, tough place to play…………..Rebels (RA) over Rebels (ACCS) 32-20.

**That’s it……2008 regular season in the books. This has been my 3rd year doing picks and I have enjoyed it greatly. Thanks to Keith for allowing us to banter back and forth on MissLou.

**Copiah fans……Let’s break that curse Friday night!

**I’ve received several basketball schedules…thanks a lot. If anyone has access to more please email them to me at aafandaman@yahoo.com

Week 10 Picks

Da Man enters the homestretch at 61-17 after going 6 of 8 last week. Those two losses were the Simpson/Copiah and ACCS/PVA games. Congrats goes out to Adams Christian for their big win! Week ten has nine games on tap with two headliners......Central Private at Bowling Green seems to be getting most of the attention but eyes should also be on Trinity at Riverfield. What do both these games have in common? Both home teams are coming off idle weeks which could make for tight games. Also, could there be a three way tie at the top of each district after week ten? Talk about balance........this is as good as it gets! On the flip side half the teams in South AA give up more points than they score but it's still heads above any other football in the MPSA. If you're a football fan AA South is for you. It's just a shame next season could be as bad on balance as this year has been great. We'll see watered down districts next year due to re-alignment which means district races will be decided much earlier, in my opinion. Look for Brookhaven and Bowling Green to continue their prosperity in football and basketball. Enough small-talk..........."Let's Roll".

*Central Private (7-1 & 4-0) at Bowling Green (7-1 & 3-1)..........Not only is this the game of he week it also has playoff seedings implications. The loser of this match up looks to be a wildcard team and will not get to host a first round game. Bowling Green has won two of the last three games against Central Private. The Rebels won last year at home 26-20 in a hotly contested battle and in 2006 BG won at home 35-29 in a back and forth game. Central Private can nail down the district title with a win while Bowling Green looks to go into the playoffs as a #2 seed. This game features two of the best offensive players in South AA, CP's running back Bobby Muse and BG's quarterback Cash Cooley. The last two games have been decided by six points each time, why not again? The Bucs have had an extra week to prepare............Bowling Green over Central Private 33-27.

*Trinity (9-0 & 3-0) at Riverfield (5-3 & 2-1)..........Trinity enters week ten as the only undefeated team in South AA while Riverfield is coming off a much needed bye week after two straight road losses to district 3AA opponents. Trinity holds all the cards in this district and even though Riverfield will be up for a tough home game they are playing for a wildcard spot. The Raiders need their best performance of the season to upset #1 Trinity. On the defensive side of the ball they're solid but can they throw the ball down field? Trinity needed a forth quarter score to win at home last week against River Oaks. I think the extra week RA has had will make for a close game..........Trinity over Riverfield 29-22.

*Copiah (5-4 & 2-1) at Columbia (2-7 & 1-2)........The Colonels fell hard at home last week to Simpson 42-0 and the Cougars did the same to Brookhaven. Copiah needs a big win to maintain power point ratings in the all important race for the wildcard spots. It could go down to the final week. Copiah won 45-14 at home over Columbia last season and with so much at stake I think they will rebound to beat Columbia. Sorry Colonel fans, seems like every time I pick Copiah they go down. I'm going with Copiah again to break the curse.............Copiah over Columbia 32-20.

*Brookhaven (6-3 & 3-1) at Adams County Christian School (1-8 & 1-3)...........ACCS earned their first win of the season last week by defeating Prairie View while Brookhaven got back on track with a win at Columbia. BA won at home last season 29-6 but the last time the Cougars traveled to Natchez to play Adams they left on the losing end of a 21-20 game. Can the Rebels win their second straight?...........Brookhaven over Adams 42-7.

*Centreville (7-2 & 4-1) at WCCA (3-6 & 3-2).........The Centreville Tigers have outscored WCCA 75-13 the last two times these two have played. CA is arguably playing the best football in South AA. This is a no contest..............Centreville over WCCA 44-7.

*Prairie View (2-6 & 0-3) at River Oaks (5-3 & 2-1)..........Both teams come in after week nine losses. River Oaks lost a heart-breaker at Trinity while PVA lost to ACCS. The Mustangs need this win to nail down a #2 seed.................River Oaks over Prairie View 48-13.

*Prentiss (2-6 & 0-3) at Simpson (6-2 & 2-1).........Simpson turned heads last week after thumping Copiah 42-0 in a must win game for both squads. The Cougars are now in the driver's seat for a district 3AA title and will have little problem taking care of business this Friday night. Could be that the week eight loss to Wayne was a wake-up call for SCA............Simpson over Prentiss 51-0.

*Amite School Center (0-9 & 0-4) at Oak Forest (3-5 & 0-3)...........With all the talk about wildcard teams looks like Oak Forest has been ignored. With games against ASC, Huntington, and Silliman remaining it's conceivable that the Jackets could finish 6-5 and a wildcard berth. This homestretch will be OFA's last in AA for a few years............Oak Forest over ASC 39-6.

*Silliman (3-4 & 1-3) at Parklane (6-2 & 3-2)...........Big mismatch as Silliman hits the road after a 36-7 loss to Centreville in week nine. Parklane has outscored the Wildcats 59-7 the past two meetings...........Parklane over Silliman 49-10.

Week 9 South AA Picks

Da Man limps into week nine with eight games on tap and looking to rebound after “Black Friday”. Week eight was brutal with only four of nine winners and my first losing week in three years. Season mark stands at 55-15 after a good hot streak the previous four weeks of 32-3. Two games highlight week nine…..River Oaks at Trinity in a district 3AA war and Simpson at Copiah in a crucial district 4AA contest. As I’ve stated earlier South AA football is the most competitive in the MPSA. The North has some very good teams but the South is much like the SEC………If you don’t bring it each week you’ll go home with a loss! Ten teams are still in the running for a district championship this late in the season with each remaining game critical and, in my humble opinion, half of those teams could win state next month. I don’t know how long it’s been since the South has had so much parity. It will be fun to see whether the much talked about MPSA tiebreaker system will be put to the test at season’s end. That’s all I got…………

“Let’s Roll”………………….

*Simpson (5-2 & 1-1) at Copiah (5-3 & 2-0)……….One of two big games in week nine. Simpson is coming off two straight losses including last week’s 6-3 loss at Wayne. Copiah has won four straight, an 18-15 win over Riverfield last week, after a rough start which seemingly has become a yearly pattern. The past two years each team has won on the other’s home field including last year’s 20-3 Colonel win at SCA. If Copiah wins Friday night the district championship is almost a lock. Copiah seems to have found their offense with solid play from Hunter Renfroe and Ben Boone and defensively they are looking more like a Copiah defense we have grown accustom to. Unless Simpson can throw the ball in spots to keep the Colonel defense off balance I think Copiah will bottle up the Cougar running game……………Copiah over Simpson 21-20.

*River Oaks (5-2 & 2-0) at Trinity (8-0 & 2-0)……….The other big game of week nine as Trinity looks to solidify their grasp on the district 3AA title. The #1 ranked Saints won at Silliman last week 35-12 but have looked a little sluggish as of late, or have they? I wouldn’t be surprised to see TE put up some big time points over the next two weeks against River Oaks and Riverfield. With an offense loaded with weapons that could do tons of damage look for TE to start humming down the homestretch. River Oaks is coming off a 21-20 home loss to Central Private in which the Mustangs jumped out to a 20-7 lead only to see CP score twice to earn the win. Trinity won last year’s match up 35-29 in a high scoring game but I don’t see RO being able to keep up this time as the game wears on at the “Pit”…………..I like #1 Trinity over a solid River Oaks team 41-18.

*Oak Forest (3-4 & 1-2) at Centreville (6-2 & 3-1)……….The last two games these two have played was decided by a total of four points with Centreville winning both times in high scoring battles. The defending state champs are coming in on a four game tare in which they’ve averaged just a bit over 36 points a game while yielding only 5 points per contest. One glaring stat with regards to Oak Forest is six of their seven games have all been close with the difference in points only being 22 combined. The only game not close for the Jackets was a 20 point loss to Bowling Green. The big question is can OFA play the physical game that Centreville thrives on? The Jackets won a close 14-10 game last Friday at Columbia and with Centreville they face a squad with an opportunity to clamp down on a possible three way tie in district 5AA (with some help). I think Coach Hurst will have his guys prepared………….Centreville over Oak Forest 31-13.

*Silliman (3-3 & 1-2) at Central Private (6-1 & 3-0)……….How about those Rebels? Central Private has put themselves in a situation where they control the wheel of the district 5AA race. If they take care of business Friday night against Silliman that will set up a huge week ten match up at Bowling Green in which with a win Central Private earns a district championship. The Rebels came from 13 points down last Friday night at River Oaks to win 21-20 and improve to 6-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of Brookhaven. Silliman lost at home to Trinity last week 35-12 but without some key turnovers that resulted in td’s the game may have been closer. Central Private is the better team but if they look past the Wildcats it may be a disappointing Homecoming. The Rebs won last year 12-7 at Silliman. Look for CP quarterback Jacob Fryoux and Bobby Muse to have big games………….Central Private tops Silliman 37-16.

*Columbia (2-6 & 1-1) at Brookhaven (5-3 & 2-1)……….Both squads are coming off losses to district 5AA teams. Brookhaven fell in overtime to Bowling Green 36-34 and Columbia came up on the short end of a 14-10 score to Oak Forest. Columbia’s slim hopes of a district title puts them in a must win situation Friday night against a Brookhaven team that may be in a nasty mood. BA won at Columbia last year 28-19. CA will need to uncover some big plays if they have a chance to compete with Brookhaven. BA’s sophomore quarterback Chandler Rogers has continued to turn heads each week as he shows more and more maturity at that position. This young man plays with the poise of a senior and will be fun to watch as he continues to progress over the next two seasons. BA’s defense will return to earlier form as they get a critical district win………….Brookhaven over Columbia 36-7.

*Adams Christian (0-8 & 0-3) at Prairie View (2-5 & 0-2)……….The Prairie View Spartans have won two straight and will look to earn their first district win of the season. PVA beat a solid Central Hinds squad last week while ACCS fell at Claiborne. Allen Spires looks to finish off a stellar football career at PVA over the next three weeks and should have a big night against ACCS………… PVA over ACCS 44-12.

*Prentiss (2-5 & 0-3) at East Rankin (3-5 & 1-4)……….The Prentiss Saints started out the season in strong fashion but have struggled since. ERA won at Prentiss last season in a high scoring battle 35-28. PCA quarterback Ethan Lee must have a huge game for the Saints to have a chance for their third win…………probably not enough. East Rankin over Prentiss 30-14.

*Amite School Center (0-8 & 0-4) at Veritas (3-4 & 1-2)……….ASC travels to Veritas looking for that first win after a 35-7 home loss to Centreville. Veritas has wins over Sharkey-Issaquena, University and Deer Creek and should earn a home win against ASC……………Veritas over ASC 27-15.

*Bowling Green and Riverfield are idle.

Notes**I’m leaving in the morning for the 2,700 mile drive to Washington and ask for traveling prayers.

See ya somewhere……………..

Week 8 South AA Picks

Week eight arrives with teams eyeing November 7th and playoff spots. Ten teams in South AA are still in the hunt for district titles but only eight will make the playoffs. At this point in the season Centreville seems to be clicking on all cylinders and both Trinity and Brookhaven have been impressive. Da Man stands at 51-10 overall and 32-3 the past three weeks with nine games on tap. Three games highlight week eight......Central Private at River Oaks, Bowling Green at Brookhaven and Riverfield at Copiah.

"Let's Roll"..................

*Central Private (5-1 & 3-0) at River Oaks (5-1 & 2-0)........Looks like a solid match up between two squads with district title hopes. River Oaks will be playing at home for only the third time this season. The Mustangs only yeild 6.1 points at home while Central Private scores 22.7 on the road. I think this could be a physical game that will come down to the final seconds. Central Private won at home last year 12-7 but I think River Oaks gets some payback this season.........River Oaks over Central Private 20-18.

*Bowling Green (6-1 & 3-1) at Brookhaven (5-2 & 2-1).........Bowling Green bounced back nicely in week seven after suffering their first lost of the season at Centreville while Brookhaven earned a home win over Riverfield. Brookhaven gives up a South AA best 10.7 points a game while Bowling Green scores 38.4 points a game which is 2nd best in AA South. The most BA has given up in one game this season has been 14 points. The Cougars have won the last two match ups with the Buccaneers including last year’s thrilling 35-34 win at BG. This is one of several games this week that is difficult to pick and it could go either way. Bowling Green proved last week that they can run the ball effectively and Brookhaven shook off a poor 1st half against Riverfield and turned it around the 2nd half to win by ten. I’ll take the odds and play it safe…………Brookhaven at home over Bowling Green 23-22.

*Riverfield (5-2 & 2-1) at Copiah (4-3 & 2-0)…………Another great match up as Riverfield travels to Gallman to meet the Copiah Colonels. The Raiders played Brookhaven tough on the road last week but fell short and will be looking to avoid two straight losses as playoff time nears. Copiah has won four out of their last five games after starting the season 0-2. One of those wins was an 8-6 win over Brookhaven in week three. While this is a non-district contest it is a vital game for each squad with respect to peeking during the homestretch. I’ve watched both these teams play this season, Riverfield did some good things last week at Brookhaven particularly on the defensive side of the ball. They have one of the better linebackers in the south in senior Jon Taylor Davis who can separate a player from the ball quickly. On the offensive side of the ball RA gets quality play from quarterback Corbin Carter and running back Brad Rogers. As for Copiah, I don’t know their injury situation but Ben Boone, Bryce Guess and Hunter Renfroe must all contribute for the Colonels to win their forth straight game. The Colonels won at Riverfield last year 14-7. I don’t see Riverfield losing two in a row. …………….Gimme Riverfield on the road over Copiah 27-17.

*Central Hinds (4-3 & 2-0) at Prairie View (1-5 & 0-2)…………I think this could be a good game to watch. Prairie View has struggled this season even with one of the better backs in the south in Alan Spires. But I think the Spartan’s coaching staff may have decided to get Spires the ball even if it means by air which is a positive. Central Hinds is a solid team coming in after a 10-0 win over Benton last week and should give PVA all they want. Prairie View has had extra time preparing for CHA due to an idle week last week. I think the rest will serve PVA well………..I like Prairie View over Central Hinds 24-20.

*Oak Forest (2-4 & 0-2) at Columbia (2-5 & 1-1)………….Oak Forest travels to Columbia in a battle between two teams desperately needing a win. The Yellow Jackets fell at home to Bowling Green last week in what was the only game this season in which the final score was not close. Columbia had their hands full with Central Private losing 40-14. Columbia lost to Oak Forest in Amite last season 29-13 and in 2006 Columbia won at home 27-25. I’m willing to bet OFA gets things going during the homestretch that will begin in Columbia Friday night………….Oak Forest over Columbia 30-15.

*Simpson (5-1 & 1-1) at Wayne (2-5 & 1-1)……….Simpson is coming off their first loss of the season two weeks ago at home against Brookhaven. SCA has Copiah on the road, Prentiss at home and Bowling Green on the road after Friday night’s game with Wayne Academy. Simpson having the week off coupled with losing their first game should spell big trouble for Wayne.……….Simpson over Wayne 37-7.

*Trinity (7-0 & 2-0) at Silliman (3-2 & 1-2)…………If you’re a Silliman Wildcat you may be wondering how the scheduling was done. Centreville and Trinity back to back is a tough spot for anyone. I think Centreville is nipping at Trinity’s heels so expect the Saints to go into Clinton Friday night focused on Silliman and nothing else. Too much speed will spell trouble for the Wildcats. Trinity has the most versatile player in AA, RJ Fleming, who can burn you running, catching, throwing or returning. TE won 41-0 last year. Look for the Saints to be sharp in preparation for the toughest part of their schedule the following three weeks. TE will host River Oaks next week then finish at Riverfield and at Centreville………..Trinity over Silliman 49-7.

*Centreville (5-2 & 2-1) at ASC (0-7 & 0-3)………….Centreville is rolling, not much to say here but hope there are no injuries……………Tigers roll 48-0.

*Adams Christian (0-7 & 0-2) at Claiborne (1-6 & 1-4)……….All will be well in Natchez after Friday night. Adams will get a much deserved win on the road at Claiborne and will get big time “Shout Outs“ on Sunday night.………….Adams Christian over Claiborne 26-23.

*Prentiss (2-5 & 0-3) is idle.

**I'll be leaving next Monday on a 2,700 mile road trip to Washington but can't leave without the trusted laptop.

"God is good"

Week 7 South AA Picks

October and week 7 are already here as we begin to enter the homestretch in South AA football. Cool air and less humidity bring thoughts of football playoffs and basketball, yep basketball; I’m a recovering basketball junkie and can’t wait. Back to football, Da Man has had three solid weeks after a poor start of the season, 24-3 the past three weeks and 43-10 overall. Week 7 has eight match ups that include a few must win games for teams and some interesting out of district battles. Only one undefeated team remains in the south, the Trinity Saints stand at 6-0 as both Simpson and Bowling Green suffered their first defeat last week. The two hottest teams, in my humble opinion, are Brookhaven and Centreville who both met in week one with CA escaping with a 7 point win. On another subject, there has been much discussion about tie breaker scenarios with respect to district races; I would think the MPSA would be better served if clarity was considered with regards to the issue. Fans deserve to know whether their district has an agreement or if they will follow the MPSA guideline. Just set the standard with clarity and leave it as is would be my hope. There seem to be more than a few instances where districts are allowed to stray from conventional thought leaving fans and even players in the dark………but what do I know? Friday night is two days away………….”Let’s Roll”

*Amite School Center (0-6 & 0-3) at Alpha Christian (1-5)………ASC is coming off a 40-7 home loss to district 5AA foe Silliman and will be facing an Alpha squad that has been a bit more competitive and who possesses more team speed. I’m pulling for ASC but Alpha gets the nod……..Alpha Christian over Amite School Center 39-25.

*Central Private (4-1 & 3-0) at Columbia (2-4 & 1-1)……….Both teams are coming off solid district wins. Central Private is fresh off a tight 7-6 home win against Oak Forest while Columbia earned a 31-21 district win on the road against Prentiss. The Rebels should be heavily favored but this could be a trap game if they overlook the Cougars. This game also showcases two very talented running backs in CP’s Bobby Muse and CA’s Josh Hamilton. Seems like the South AA is loaded with great backs this season. I think CP does enough to win…………Central Private over Columbia 27-18.

*Glenbrook (5-1) at River Oaks (5-1 & 2-0)…………Be careful Mustangs, the defending single-A champs are not to be taken for granted. If River Oaks needs some motivation all they need to know is that rival Riverfield beat Glenbrook earlier in the season 13-0. Regardless of what class Glenbrook comes from they’re a formidable opponent for any team. RO is coming off a 26-7 win at Central Hinds and must remain sharp if they plan on contending for a district 3AA title and or making some noise come playoff time. I see this match up being close through three quarters before River Oaks takes control and edges out Glenbrook in the final quarter………………..I like River Oaks over Glenbrook 22-17.

*Riverfield (5-1 & 2-1) at Brookhaven (4-2 & 2-1)……Must see game of the week between two squads that have prided themselves on their defenses this season. At first glance the obvious glaring fact is Brookhaven’s tough schedule which has paid huge dividends up to this point of the season. The Raiders will be playing one of the better teams in the south and this game will be a good barometer as to how good they are. BA is coming off another sound performance last week as they handed Simpson their first loss of the season and Riverfield beat Adams handily. Da Man sees this game resulting in a defensive battle and thus a low scoring contest and Brookhaven possibly being down a bit after last week’s big district 4AA win……………… Gimme Brookhaven over Riverfield 13-10.

*Bowling Green (5-1 & 2-1) at Oak Forest (2-3 & 0-1)………Big time rivals hook up in a must win game for both squads. Bowling Green was grounded last week at Centreville while Oak Forest fell at Central Private in a close game. The Bucs are still in contention for a district 5AA title and must shake off last week’s loss and focus solely on their remaining schedule which includes Brookhaven, Central Private and Simpson. The Yellow Jackets three losses have been by a total of 5 points, to Parklane, Brookhaven and Central Private. If OFA can establish their running game they will get the win but I think these two teams match up very well. Look for a few big plays from each team. At the end I think Bowling Green atones last week’s loss…………I got the Bucs over the Jackets 25-20.

*Centreville (4-2 & 1-1) at Silliman (3-1 & 1-1)………Two seasons ago Centreville was on a roll as they traveled to Clinton to take on Silliman. The Tigers, as well as many fans throughout district 5AA, had been prognosticating about tie breakers and how the three way tie at the top would be decided. It never came to be as the Silliman Wildcats went wild on the Tigers and upset them. Silliman has been one of the most improved teams this season with their only loss coming to Bowling Green in Clinton and they’re coming off a 40-7 win at ASC while the defending AA state champs seem to have corrected their early season lackluster play which culminated with last Friday’s home blowout of Bowling Green. In a nutshell, this Centreville squad seems to have regained a hunger for another ring. Lookout Wildcats………..Centreville over Silliman 47-15.

*Tallulah (4-2) at Trinity (6-0 & 2-0)…………Da Man’s #1 ranked Trinity Saints have been a little sluggish the past two weeks in wins over Prairie View and Briarfield and need to sharpen up as the homestretch and big games approach. The Saints will enter their toughest and most critical part of their schedule after week seven with games against Silliman, River Oaks, Riverfield and Centreville. I expect Coach David King’s squad to be sharp and in a bad mood Friday night. That’s bad news for Tallulah…………. Trinity over Tallulah 51-10.

*Copiah (3-3 & 1-0) at Prentiss (2-4 & 0-2)………….The Colonels need this district game to maintain their chances of winning district 4AA. They control their own destiny with Simpson and Columbia still waiting down the road. Copiah’s offense must begin scoring more points against quality squads if they want to keep their title hopes alive. I think it’s highly probable there will be a three way tie in district 4AA at season’s end. Prentiss started the season well but they have struggled lately. The Saints displayed a strong passing attack during the early stages of the season and must find a way to recapture that in order to salvage their season. Copiah has Riverfield and Simpson next while Prentiss will enjoy an idle week before taking on East Rankin………….. I like Copiah over Prentiss 36-12.

*Prairie View is idle and Simpson I don’t have a clue.
*I hope to make the Brookhaven/Riverfield game Friday night and ask that anyone with scores to any of the games in AA South please text me at 985-750-3455 and I will do the same.

See ya somewhere………………….

Week Six Picks AA South

Da Man enters week six with ten games on tap and a season record of 34-9 and a 15-2 mark the last two weeks. Week six has some great match ups which makes for lots of fun for old guys like me. All of District 5AA play district foes and District 4AA has two solid games with Brookhaven traveling to Simpson and Columbia on the road against Prentiss. District 3AA only has one district game as Adams visits Riverfield. As I have said this week’s games will clear the water somewhat and provide insight as to which teams are contenders.

“Let’s Roll”………………

*Bowling Green (5-0) at Centreville (3-2)…………..Easily the Game of the Week. Bowling Green’s high octane offense against the physical play of the Centreville Tigers who have won two straight over the Bucs. Will Zack Sinclair run wild on the Bucs? Can the Bucs stop the run? Can CA stop the BG passing game and match up with all that speed? We’ll find out soon enough! I see the game in a different way……If Bowling Green comes in focused and reduces the mental mistakes they’ve been making look for a great game. On the flipside I think the focus for Centreville may be on their own passing game. If they rely exclusively on the run game I think the game will swing towards Bowling Green. My guess is that BG is sick of hearing about whether they can stop the run and may have a point to prove. One thing is certain, if Centreville comes into Friday night’s game as they did two weeks ago against Central Private it could be ugly. But my hunch is that “The Coach” will have his team prepared for war. I’m going to do my very best to make this trip…………. Gimme Bowling Green on the road over Centreville 33-30.

*Brookhaven (3-2) at Simpson (5-0)………………Another solid match up as these two collide for a big District 4AA battle. The Brookhaven Cougars are beginning to jell and have one of the best defenses in AA along with a solid run attack and a quarterback improving each week. Simpson can solidify their undefeated record with a win and will need their running game, for which they are known, to be running on all cylinders. Casey Hunt and Kyle Munn must each have solid games if SCA is to remain undefeated. Brookhaven cannot afford another loss and will look for senior running back Kolby Byrd to provide the leadership needed to keep the Cougars focused because they are a very young team. I’ve seen BA play this season and their defense is the real deal. Their 3-4 gave Oak Forest fits in week two. I think BA will be able to control the running game of SCA enough as was the case last Friday night with Central Private’s great back Bobby Muse. Brookhaven held Muse in check most of the night. I got Brookhaven improving to 4-2 and handing Simpson their first loss...............Brookhaven over Simpson 22-14.

*Oak Forest (2-2) at Central Private (3-1)……….Here’s the third spine tingling battle. The Oak Forest Yellow Jackets are coming off a forgettable performance last week in which they came from behind to beat Alpha Christian by 7 points. There has to be some concern in Amite. Central Private is coming off a physical game with Brookhaven in which they suffered their first loss of the season. There has to be some concern in Central. For OFA it seems like the explosive high scoring offense we all have grown accustom to is missing. The Jackets have had some low scoring performances to date this season and playing in the toughest district in AA ( my humble opinion) there won’t be much room for error the rest of the way. Central Private must get some passes down field Friday night and also feed Bobby Muse the ball. Teams will learn from the game with Brookhaven how to stop the Rebels so they must be successful in the passing game to some degree. I think CP had a wakeup call last week and will respond with a solid showing……Central Private over Oak Forest 27-16.

*Trinity (5-0) at Briarfield (4-1)…………Da Man’s #1 team in AA was a little sluggish last week in their district 3AA win against Prairie View. Does this mean Briarfield has a chance? Maybe a chance but I’m confident Coach David King got a message to his players after last Friday night’s game about preparedness and focus………………Trinity over Briarfield 39-13.

*River Oaks (4-1) at Central Hinds (3-2)…………The River Oaks Mustangs hit the road Friday night as they travel to take on single-A foe Central Hinds. The Stangs lost to #1 single-A, Porter’s Chapel, in week two but bounced back with solid home wins over district foes Riverfield & Adams Christian. I’d be careful not to overlook Central Hinds…...River Oaks over Central Hinds 20-10.

*Columbia (1-4) at Prentiss (2-3)…………..While the records may not be that good the game should be. Evenly matched squads will butt heads in this District 4AA match up. First year Columbia head coach Mitch Mitchell looks to get his Cougars back on track after two straight blowout losses to Simpson and Centreville. The Prentiss Saints look to get their passing game established if they are to be successful…………….….Gimme Columbia over Prenitss 25-20.

*Wayne (1-4) at Copiah (2-3)…………Which Copiah team will we see this Friday night? I think we’ll see the team that beat Brookhaven a few weeks back and Hillcrest last week. Copiah evens its record at 3-3……………Copiah over Wayne 37-6.

*Adams Christian (0-5) at Riverfield (4-1)………….. I hope ACCS can get this thing reversed soon. It’s a fine school and many of us out here feel for them. Keep fighting guys! The Raiders are better ......................................Riverfield over ACCS 41-7.

*Silliman (2-1) at Amite School Center (0-5)……………The Silliman Wildcats continue to improve while Amite looks forward to re-alignment. The Cats improve to 3-1. ………… Silliman over ASC 41-19.

*Claiborne (1-4) at Prairie View (0-4)………………..The Spartans played much better last week against the Trinity Saints. Claiborne comes calling and will get a big dose of PVA running back Allen Spires. A much needed win will heel some wounds…………………… Prairie View over Claiborne 23-12.

There you go….ten games to enjoy!

Week Four Picks AA South

Well Da Man thought there would be nine games on tap for Friday night but I guess these old eyes are letting me down. Didn't see that we would be having two Thursday night match ups. That darn district 3AA is always doing something a little different, ya know, like not having a district basketball tourney last season. But on the other hand if my lazy butt would have posted some picks like I normally do on Wednesday night I could have picked up two easy wins. Oh well here we go anyway. Just keep in mind that the water will being clearing soon. Da Man stands at an unimpressive 18-7 after two weeks (I didn't pick storm week). After week five I'll pin point who will win their districts and start laying out the playoff scenarios. In memory of those brave passengers on flight #93 seven years ago today, "Lets Roll".........

*Sylva Bay (2-1) at Amite School Center (0-3)....Not much to cheer about looking at ASC coming off a 28-0 shutout at the hands of Central Hinds last week. They take on another single-A opponent this week as Sylva Bay rolls into town. SBA routed Heidelberg 51-0 last week and will do the same to ASC on their home field. Sylva Bay over ASC 44-7.

*Bowling Green (3-0) at Silliman (2-0).....The Wildcats have wins over single-A Alpha Christian and a homeschool club (CHEF) that MRA is even hoping to grab a win from. Bowling Green's schedule to this point has been weak but they have taken care of business in impressive fashion with blowout wins over Copiah, Alpha and at Columbia last week. Week six is when BG's season will begin with three straight road games against Centreville. Oak Forest and then Brookhaven before closing at home against Central Private and Simpson. I've got the #2 ranked Bucs going 8-2 barring any major injuries. Silliman could possibly go 5-5 as they did last year but it will be tough due to depth. Tomorrow night's game should see BG being more productive on the ground in an effort to balance out their explosive offense and focus on the defensive game in and around stopping the run. This could be a blowout but Silliman tends to play well at home and I expect lots of flags. I like Bowling Green in a closer game than some might imagine......Bucs over Wildcats 34-15.Game Of The Night
*Centreville (2-1) at Central Private (2-0)....The Centreville Tigers are coming of an easy 35-7 win over Adams Christian last week while Central Private's match up with Presbyterian was canceled. I have Centreville ranked at #4 and Central Private at #3 and look to see an exciting week four game. We all know that Centreville has a solid ground game with Zach Sinclair but I think their passing game isn't where it was this time last season. Central Private has a balanced offense and a great back in junior Bobby Muse and a solid QB in Jacob Fryoux. I'm leaning towards the Rebs to improve to 3-0 and The Tigers heading back to Centreville scrating their heads.....gimme Central Private over Centreville 24-20.

*Copiah (1-2) at Oak Forest (0-2)....Copiah travels down I-55 to Amite to face the always dangerous Oak Forest Yellow Jackets. The Copiah Colonels are coming off last weeks surprise win at home over upstart Brookhaven 8-6. OFA was to play Silliman but that game was postponed due to the storm. The Jackets could very easily be 2-0 with close losses coming to AAA Parklane and Brookhaven. Copiah will face a more potent offense this week and had better be able to pressure the Jacket QB. Offensively I don't see Copiah scoring more than two touchdowns butt I do see the Jackets earning their first win of the season. Look for quarterback Travis Thornton to have a big game for the Jackets. OFA could start a run of wins starting Friday night while Copiah will head back to Gallman with a loss......Oak Forest over Copiah 27-13.

*Prentiss (2-1) at Brookhaven (1-2).....Prentiss's 27-7 loss to Wayne last week surprised me a bit. While I didn't exactly expect the Saints to go 10-0, I did expect them to show more of the throwing capabilities they had shown in weeks one and two. If they don't bring their passing game Friday night they won't have a shot at beating or even competing with a Brookhaven Cougar squad that may be a bit angry after last week's two point loss to rival Copiah. Brookhaven has a solid defense but their offense struggles mightily to score points. If they are to contend for the district 4AA title their passing game has to get better. I'm a little curious about this game......If Prentiss quarterback Ethan Lee is focused and can avoid the front three of the Cougar defense he may have some long ball opportunities. Odds though say something entirely different....take the home team, which I am. Brookhavenn evens their record at 2-2 with a 30-19 win over the Prentiss Saints.

*Simpson (3-0) at Columbia (1-2).....I got a little heat last week by suggesting that the Simpson Cougars may be a tad over-rated. Well they can prove some folks wrong this Friday night with a convincing road win at Columbia. The running of Kyle Munn and Casey Hunt has carried SCA the first three games of the season. At some point the passing skills of the Cougars will be tested and it may be this week. Colombia did a solid job of containing Bowling Green's ground game last week. Columbia's first year coach, Mitch Mitchell, is moulding a fine team which is improving each week so this could be a trap just waiting for Simpson. There has to be an upset somewhere Friday night and I think it will be in Columbia. Columbia has a decent run game to go along with a crafty young quarterback in RJ Thomas. I like the upset.....Columbia hamds Simpson thier first loss of the season 21-20.

*Riverfield (2-1) at Prairie View (0-3)......PVA has one of the best running backs in the AA South and still can't get it going. Allen Spires has been contained and so go the Spartans. Their 34-8 beatdown from Porter's Chapel last week had to be a confidence killer. Riverfield is also coming off a loss. The Raiders lost at River Oaks 19-6 last week in a big district 3AA match up. When I first saw the schedules before the sesaon started I saw this game and thought it would be a huge match up in district 3AA. This is only going to be a big game for the Raiders, and that is if they loose it. I think some Spartan pride will power PVA to be in this game though three quarters before Riverfield takes over and wins. Riverfield Raiders over the Prairie View Spartans 28-20.

GOD IS GREAT!

see ya somewhere......................

Week Two Picks AA South

Week Two rolls around in South AA with 12 games on Da Man's pick list. The always difficult week one match ups resulted in a 10-3 mark with no big "eye-popping" upsets although a handful of games are worth noting and could be indications of how good some teams may turn out to be come playoff time. Brookhaven's strong performance against Centreville sticks out the most. The Cougars held the defending state champs to 14 points and fell just a touchdown short against the Tigers. Bowling Green put together a strong effort against Copiah winning 42-0. The point was made earlier in the week that Copiah lost alot of kids from last year's team but so did BG. I was at this game and Copiah could be in for a long season. Parklane needed a 4th quarter field goal to beat feisty Oak Forest which to me was a bit of a surprise. The Jackets can score with the best of them but they will need to defend better this week. The other game that stood out to me was Prairie View's loss to Briarfield. I really felt that PVA would hit the ground running, and I mean that literally, behind running back Allen Spires. While Spires did account for two touchdowns the Spartans will depend on him heavily if they are to make a serious playoff run. Just a few thoughts about week one, week two is here, "Let's Roll"............

*Game of the Week.....Brookhaven (0-1) at Oak Forest (0-1). Both these teams came close to opening up the 2008 season with upsets last week but fell short. This game will answer a few questions...can Brookhaven stop the Jackets spread and can OFA play defense. Last year it took double overtime before Oak Forest won 18-12 at Brookhaven. Regulation ended at 12-12 with both teams having failed at their extra point attempts during the first 4 quarters. I think OFA will do just enough on defense to win a close one at home behind the play of quarterback Travis Thornton who threw 3 td passes against Parklane on the road last week. I'll be at this game.........Jackets over the Cougars 26-24.

*Parklane (1-0) at Centreville (1-0)..... Both teams won close games last week. I think Centreville's defense will come up big at home and the Tiger offense will be a bit sharper than in week one. Look for Zack Sinclair to have a solid game and senior QB Kyle Brown to see the endzone a few times. The Pioneers won last year's meeting 19-14 in McComb after going into the 4th quarter tied at 7. QB Chance Schmidt led PA with two td passes and one rushing. Centreville was 7-0 at home last year.......I like the Tigers over Parklane 20-7.

*River Oaks (1-0) at Porter's Chapel (1-0).......The Mustangs will find a better opponent this Friday night than last week. Porter's Chapel (single A) opened up their season with a solid win over Claiborne 42-14 behind the play of quarterback Clayton Holmes who tallied 4 touchdowns while River Oaks dismantled Riverdale 47-0. PCA is solid and lost to eventual state champs Glenbrook in the second round of the playoffs last season. They also have a weapon at kicker with Jason Greer who was 6/6 last week in extra point attempts. This game should be neck and neck with RO winning it in the 4th quarter. The Mustangs punished PCA 40-0 last year but will slip by with a 30-27 win over Porter's Chapel on the road Friday night.

*Columbia (0-1) at Heidelberg (0-1).........Neither team had much success last week as only 7 points was scored between them. Heidelberg won at Columbia last year 21-13 and had a decent year while Columbia had a season they would rather forget. As I said last week, Mitch Mitchell will get CA back on track and return a winning tradition to the Cougar fans but it will take some time. HA lost at least 12 seniors last year which makes this the most difficult pick of the week.........but on a "hunch" I think Columbia surprises Heidelberg 13-12.

*Central Hinds (1-0) at Prentiss (1-0).......Central Hinds won at home last season against Prentiss 31-12 but the Saints look to return the favor in week two after posting a 31-14 road win over Tri-County last week. Central Hinds escaped with a 9-6 win over Humphreys. The Saints will need another solid performance from quarterback Ethan Lee (4 tds last week) and focus for four quarters to avenge last season's loss to CHA. Prentiss jumped out to a 25-8 1st quarter lead last week but wasn't able to do much the following three quarters. I like the homestanding Saints to improve to 2-0. ......Prentiss over Central Hinds 23-18.

*Alpha Christian (0-1) at Bowling Green (1-0)......Single-A Alpha Christian will need a better effort this week against Bowling Green if they want to improve and have a chance at a solid season. I felt that they were ready to compeat with some of the AA schools this season but their performance against Silliman last week may prove that they're not there yet. Good team speed alone will not get them over the hump....that holds true especially this week as they meet a Bowling Green team that can match their speed and may be a little more motivated than week one. Alpha will be hard pressed to stop the Cooley brothers who accounted for 6 of BG's 7 tds last week against Copiah. I think Alpha will see the endzone but not enough.......Bowling Green over Alpha 47-14.

*Trinity (1-0) at Adams Christian (0-1).......The mighty Saints trek accross town to take on ACCS after winning on the road last week 30-13 over South Choctaw. QB Givonni Dent threw 3 touchdown passes for the Saints and Kent King had a 68 yard punt return and a rushing touchdown in the win. Adams lost to WCCA last week and will be looking to improve game by game. Trinity won this match up last season at home 47-0........Why not again? Trinity over ACCS 47-0.

*Copiah (0-1) at Leake (0-1)........Wow!!! When was the last time we saw these two powerhouses at 0-1 and facing each other after both getting shut out the week before? While this is a big game for both teams one has to think it's more important that Copiah show big improvement from last week's blowout loss. Leake will turn it around quickly but if the Colonels hope to have a decent season they must show marked improvement over last week. I know it's only week two but if CA is not competitive Friday night the snowball effect could set in. Tough spot for the Colonels on the road again.......I like Leake over Copiah 26-13.

*Central Private (1-0) at Amite (0-1)........CP enters week two after a sound 41-13 win over single-A Huntington while ASC dropped their season opener to AAA East Rankin by a respectable score of 28-13. I have CP rated #3 in AA South just behind Centreville and Trinity. The combination of quarterback Jacob Fryoux (3 tds last week) and running back Bobby Muse (2 rushing tds last week) should propel the Rebs to an 8-2 mark come playoff time........ Central Private on the road with a 51-6 win over Amite.

*Prairie View (0-1) at Southern Baptist (0-0).... The Spartans travel to Southaven Friday night after a disappointing home loss to Briafield 27-19 in week one. PVA can only hope no injuries come out of this game which is sure to be ugly. SBEC has an enrollment of 1,200 students and posts a 50 man roster. Should be a nice ride going and a long ride returning.......Southern Baptist over PVA 41-12.

*Glenbrook (1-0) at Riverfield (1-0).......The Apaches are last year's single-A state champs and began the 2008 season with a 26-6 win over Tallulah while Riverfield opened up with a home win over Cenla 33-12. Glenbrook should prove to be a tougher opponent than Cenla. I see a mild upset.......Glenbrook over Riverfield 23-20.

*Manchester (0-1) at Simpson (1-0)...... Manchester won this battle last year at home 14-7. MA lost their season opener last week to Canton 14-7 and will need to show more scoring ability and some clock management to slow down a much improved Simpson team who crushed Heidelberg 44-0 last week. Simpson was 4-1 at home last season and will rely on a strong ground attack from Casey Hunt and Kyle Munn to punish Manchester......... Gimme Simpson at home over Manchester 28-10.

*Silliman Wildcats (1-0)....idle

That should do it for week two. I plan on making the short trip to Amite to watch the Oak Forest/Brookhaven game. I hope the peanuts will be boiling!

see ya somewhere..................

Week One Picks AA South

The time has finally come....football 2008 is here! Da Man has been working hard to get all the inside scoop on the teams in AA South. Hopefully, unlike last season, week one will not be so brutal on Da Man. If I remember correctly, I missed 4 of my 10 picks in week one but rebounded nicely the following week. I did pick Centreville to win state prior to week four and stuck with them the rest of the season and had Trinity closely behind. This season should be just as exciting as last year!

Just a few thoughts......The south will win state again. This is no disrespect intended for our friends to the north but the south is still much stronger with regards to the top tier teams. Just a look at the rich talent of coaching sets the south apart. Centreville's Bill Hurst, Oak Forest's Jason Brabham, Trinity's David King, and Columbia's Mitch Mitchell (While at Copiah) all have recently earned state championship rings and then throw in the rich tradition of Simpson football and you realize there is plenty to get excited about. A few new faces will appear on the scene this season also.....Brett Beard at Bowling Green and Herbert Davis at Brookhaven.

Unlike last season I will pick games that involve single-A Alpha Christian. I just didn't feel like they were ready to challenge so I stayed clear of any games with Alpha because it was what I considered a "gimme" game. This season is different...their kids are reaching the upper level grades now and after the brutal schedule they played last season you know some good things will happen with that program this season.

I have 13 games on tap for week one.....let's roll!!!!!

**Game of the Week**

Copiah at Bowling Green.....Yep, that's right! I know up I-55 Brookhaven will be hosting the State Champion Centreville Tigers but I think the game in Franklinton will be the most exciting between two evenly matched squads. I'll explain why below with the other 12 games.

*Copiah at Bowling Green.......The Colonels are coming off an impressive 11-2 campaign and another playoff run that fell short to eventual champion Centreville. Second year Copiah coach Scott Cline did a great job in his first year at CA but faces bigger challenges this season after losing some critical players to graduation. While his opponent, the Bowling Green Buccaneers look to improve on their 4-6 record that could have easily been 6-4 with a few breaks. They will begin their new season with a new face on the sidelines calling the shots...Brett Beard. Now if you have never seen Coach Beard he will be the guy who looks like a lineman with the Indianapolis Colts, which he was for a short stint. Coach Beard with unveil a spread offense that not too many Buc fans have seen from their home team in several years. Quality skilled players complement the offense while the defense seems to be the mystery. Now skip on over to the Copiah sideline and you're likely to get a solid and disciplined defense that we all have come to expect from Copiah with their mystery being on offense. This game will be decided at halftime. And I mean literally at halftime. Who makes the necessary adjustments in the locker room will win this game. Can BG execute a new offense and minimize their mistakes and can Copiah get a ground game established to eat up the clock during long drives that they must come away with points from. I see some big plays.......Bowling Green over Copiah 27-19.

*Centreville at Brookhaven......This could be a great game but I have a gut feeling the Centreville Tigers will leave Brookhaven very happy Friday night. The 2007 State Champs are coming off a 13-2 magical season and were led by the best back in AA Nick Goudeau. Nick has graduated but the Tigers are just reloading. Senior quarterback Kyle Brown returns to run the offense and will surely be giving the bulk of the carries to junior running back Zack Sinclair who had a solid year last season as did Brown. Great size on both sides of the ball should help the Tigers control the line of scrimmage. As for Brookhaven, they lost 12 seniors and replacing Corey Dickerson and Daniel Lofton will be tall orders and depth could be an issue especially against physical running teams such as Centreville. The Tigers won this one at home last season 27-14 and will win on the road in week one..... Centreville over Brookhaven 30-13.

*Oak Forest at Parklane.....The Bo Milton era will begin Friday night as the Oak Forest Yellow Jackets led by Coach Jason Brabham travel to McComb. The Jackets upset the Pioneers last season in week one in Amite 32-14 in a shocker. Then the following week the Parklane Pioneers handed the Centreville Tigers a 19-14 loss. Go figure! Parklane lost 13 seniors including Dane Hogan who was an exceptional receiver while the Jackets lost seniors that were vital to their offense. I don't see upset this time....PA has two quarterbacks that saw playing time last season and look for Josh Armstreet to have a big game at home and last year's loss fresh on the minds of the Pioneers..... Parklane over Oak Forest 37-12.

*Huntington at Central Private......The Huntington Hounds travel to Central Friday night in what could be a statement game for the home standing Rebels. The Rebs are coming off a respectable season. One which they played without Justin Couvillion who during his junior season was one of the top two backs in all of AA. Another back emerged for CP last season, Bobby Muse, who will be worth watching this his junior year. He has the total package and is one of those players who is a difference maker. CP could be looking at an 8-2 season and it will start with a convincing win at home over Huntington......Central Private over Huntington 40-13.

*Heidelberg at Simpson.....Heidelberg is coming off a respectable 6-4 season with one of those wins coming at the expense of Simpson in week one last year 21-14. Heidelberg held SA scoreless in the second half to walk away with a big win for the single A team. Simpson was able to rebound and finish their season with a convincing win at home over Bowling Green to finish 6-5 albeit with a somewhat weak schedule. SA lost 7 seniors on a 21 player roster which concerns me and peaks my curiosity as to why alot of folks see Simpson having a solid 2008 season. Replacing such a good running back as Chase Williams isn't an easy task. Can junior Kyle Munn do it? He had better or SA could see a bleak season. HA lost 12 seniors and some solid backs but quarterback Jamie Keenan returns. This is a hard game to pick this early in the season so give me the home team and the notion this is a revenge game for Simpson......Simpson over Heidelberg 20-14.

*Riverdale at River Oaks......RO plays well at home and will have another solid season. The verdict on Riverdale may not come until week 3 or 4. QB Cody Trichell returns and leads River Oaks over Riverdale 31-6.

*Adams at WCCA......These two met in the season opener last year with ACCS getting embarrassed at home 30-0. Things went downhill from that point on for Adams as they went 0-11. Five shutout losses from last year and the loss of 8 seniors doesn't bode well for Adams. While on the flipside WCCA lost its' best two players in Trumaine Norwood and Cody Cullen. WCCA did have a solid season finishing at 7-4 and a first round appearance in the playoffs where they lost to Central Hinds 24-14. I got dem boys from Woodville......WCCA over Adams Christian 23-6.

*East Rankin at Amite......in last year's home opener ERA won 32-15 over ASC in a game that was only 13-9 at the half. ERA went on to finish 6-5 although 4 of those wins were against AA and single A competition. Amite didn't taste victory until week 9 against Veritas in 21-0 shutout. Amite lost 10 seniors on a 22 man roster I see East Rankin winning again......ERA over ASC the same score as last year...32-15!

*Prentiss at Tri-County.....TCA won at Prentiss last season 21-0. TCA was 5-6 last year while PCA turned in a 1-9 mark. TCA had 4 wins over single A schools and one single A loss to Central Hinds. TCA also lost 15 seniors while Prentiss lost only 6. Another tough game to pick....Tri County over Prentiss in a close one 22-20.

*Presbyterian at Columbia.....This was a barnburner last season with PCS going away with a 17-16 win. Columbia led 16-10 after the 3rd quarter but a 55 yd fumble recovery for a td in the 4th proved to be the difference in a heartbreaker for the Cougars of Columbia. Coach Mitch Mitchell will be making his coaching debut at Columbia Friday night and will have to replace 14 seniors. I see CA struggling a few weeks but improving as the season goes on. Week one should see Presbyterian leave Columbia with their first win of the seaon. May not be pretty but.....Presbyterian over Columbia 22-13.

*Briarfield at Prairie View.......PVA is coming off a great 8-3 season and has one of the most productive running backs in AA, Allen Spires. PVA won this match up last season 28-14 and behind the talents of Allen Spires they will do the same this season......PVA over Briarfield 30-14.

*Cenla at Riverfield......Don't think Cenla will have the horses for this one. RA is solid at home and won at Cenla last season......I got Riverfield over Cenla 28-12.

*Silliman at Alpha Christian.....these two met at Clinton last year during week one with SA getting the lopsided win. Don't bet the marbles the same will happen this Friday night. Alpha has grown and the tough schedule they played last season will benefit them this season. I think Alpha's team speed will be the difference in the game. Alpha over Silliman in an upset 39-22.

***I'll be at the Bowling Green - Copiah game. If you are at one of the other games please call me with some scores during the course of the night......985-750-3455.

see ya somwhere....................