Division play starts for SHS, SA teams
It's difficult to believe, I know, that the high school football season is half over for some teams in our area.
The Starkville High School Yellowjackets and Starkville Academy Volunteers have progressed to the point of their schedules that they have reached division play.
SHS starts Class 6A, Region 2 action on Friday night with a road trip to Provine in Jackson, while Starkville Academy hosts rival Winston Academy to open the District 2-AAA slate. The game between the Vols and Patriots at J.E. Logan Field is the Starkville Daily News Game of the Week.
Everything done to this point of the season for area teams does not determine whether the postseason is in the future. At least for the Jackets and Vols, that quest begins now and the intensity at practice probably goes up a level this week.
It's been a good season for SHS and SA to this point as each have overall records of 4-1.
The Jackets defeated Noxubee County and Oxford before losing to West Point. Starkville has bounced back with impressive victories with Columbus and Meridian. It appears the Jackets are ready for what tests the region has to offer.
After the outing against Provine, SHS hosts Northwest Rankin before making the journey to Greenville. The highlight of the region slate for the Jackets is the Oct. 13 encounter with Madison Central in Starkville, but they close out with Murrah and Warren Central on the road and Clinton at home to close the regular season.
It did not rest well with the Jackets last season when they didn't make the playoffs, but I don't think they have anything to worry about this season. SHS should do enough in the region to find its way back to postseason.
As far as Starkville Academy, it has four district games with Winston Academy, Canton Academy, Heritage Academy and Leake Academy. Canton is an addition to the district and gets in on the fun this season.
The game between the Vols and Patriots will always have an element of a rivalry since the schools are only about 30 miles apart and the cities of Starkville and Louisville are joined by Highway 25.
Chase Nicholson has done a good job once again with the Vols with wins over Lamar School, French Camp, East Webster and Magnolia Heights. The only loss was to a very good Indianola Academy squad.
Starkville Academy hasn't run away from tests in the non-conference schedule and that's just the way Nicholson wants it. He hopes it starts paying off this week with the start of division games.
The path to the playoffs will begin taking shape over the next few weeks and it's really going to get interesting around here.
Danny P. Smith is the sports editor and columnist for The Starkville Daily News. The opinions in this column are his AnD Do not nECEssArILy rEflECt the views of the SDN or its staff.