REGULAR SEASON
Starkville (10-0, 6-0) at Clinton (9-1, 6-0)
THE PLAYERS
Starkville: QB Brady Davis has thrown for 2,349 yards, good for fourth in Class 6A. … WRs Raphael Leonard and AJ Brown both have 11 receiving TDs. … Sophomore Abdural Lee has 17 tackles for loss.
Clinton: Sophomore QB Cam Akers has rushed for 725 yards and 14 TDs. … TJ Beverly has caught 35 passes for 414 yards and 3 TDs. … DL DJ Henderson has 7 sacks.
FOUR DOWNS
• Division 2-6A game, winner earns title.
• Starkville QB Brady Davis, a Memphis commit, is first in 6A with 31 TDs.
• Starkville came from 17 down last week to beat Warren Central.
• Starkville is No. 1, Clinton No. 4 in the latest AP poll.
UP NEXT: Playoffs
Tupelo (7-3, 3-3) at Olive Branch (5-5, 2-4)
THE PLAYERS
Tupelo: WR/RB Alex Norwood rushed for 142 yards, scored 3 TDs against Horn Lake. ... RB Davonta Hadley has rushed for 803 yards, 5 TDs. ... RB Deamio Garmon has rushed for 653 yards, 7 TDs. ... LB Demarcus Rogers has recorded team-high 96 tackles. ... DB Denarius Wise has 75 tackles, 2 INT for TDs.
Olive Branch: QB Mario Nolan-Dillard has completed 71 of 142 for 1,041 yards, 9 TDs, 7 INTs. ... RB Dontavis Bruce has rushed for 789 yards, 8 TD. ... LB Demetruis Harris averages 7.4 tackles per game. ... DE Lieutenant Carroll has 64 tackles.
FOUR DOWNS
• Division 1-6A game.
• Tupelo needs to win or lose by four points or less to make the postseason.
• The playoff clincher would face Starkville-Clinton winner next week on the road.
• THS coach Trent Hammond’s two-year record is 20-5.
UP NEXT: Playoffs
Hamilton (6-5, 4-3) at Coffeeville (9-1, 7-0)
THE BUZZ: Division 1-1A game. … Coffeeville, the state’s top 1A team, has lost only to No. 1-ranked 2A team Calhoun City.
Oxford (9-1, 6-0) at Lake Cormorant (0-10, 0-6)
THE BUZZ: Division 1-5A game. … Oxford, No. 1 in AP’s Class 5A poll, has already clinched the division title.
Saltillo (7-4, 3-3) at New Hope (9-1, 5-1)
THE BUZZ: Division 1-5A game. … Saltillo needs a win and Clarksdale loss to make the playoffs.
Starkville Aca.(9-1, 4-0) at Pillow Aca. (7-3, 3-2)
THE BUZZ: MAIS AAA II District I game. … SA has given up a district-low 86 points.
CLASS 4A PLAYOFFS
Lafayette (7-4) at Houston (5-6)
THE PLAYERS
Lafayette: RB Tyrell Price has rushed for 731 yards and 9 TDs in 7 games. … MLB Eli Murphree averages 10.4 TPG. … DE Darren Toles has 10 sacks.
Houston: QB Urriah Shephard has rushed for 655 yards and 5 TDs. … LB Tanner Bullock has a team-high 108 tackles. … DB Denver McQuary’s 8 INTs rank fourth in the state.
FOUR DOWNS
• Lafayette mainly runs, attempting only 93 passes all season.
• Houston feature RB Brandon Townsend (1,244 yards) is out for the season with a broken leg.
• The whole Houston offense ran through Brandon Townsend. Ten players had rushes last week.
• First meeting since 2004.
Amory (6-5) at Cleveland (10-1)
THE BUZZ: Amory draws the No. 3-ranked team in Class 4A.
Caledonia (6-5) at Ripley (8-3)
THE BUZZ: Ripley is riding a four-game win streak.
Gentry (4-6) at Itwamba AHS (6-4)
THE BUZZ: Itawamba won its final five games of the season to finish first in Division 1-4A.
Shannon (3-7) at Greenwood (8-2)
THE BUZZ: Shannon is making its 20th straight playoff appearance.
Yazoo County (8-3) at Corinth (8-3)
THE BUZZ: Getting LB Deonte Keith back has been a big lift for the Corinth defense.
CLASS 3A PLAYOFFS
North Panola (7-4) at Aberdeen (8-3)
THE PLAYERS
North Panola: QB Jatavious Farmer has thrown for 1,875 yards and 23 TDs and rushed for team-highs 895 and 12. … RB Justin Connor has rushed for 868 yards and 7 TDs, a 7.5 yard average. … WR Darius Thomas has 33 catches for 581 yards and 5 TDs.
Aberdeen: QB Josh Williams has thrown for 1,677 yards and 14 TDs and rushed for team-highs 812 yards and 16 TDs. … Junior WR Jerrick Orr has 34 catches for 595 yards and 7 TDs. … Junior LB Tae Carothers has a team-high 9 TFLs.
FOUR DOWNS
• North Panola RB Justin Connor and TE Willie Hibbler are Ole Miss commits.
• Results will largely depend on who can handle the opponent’s dual-threat QB.
• Aberdeen is the Journal’s No. 3 medium school.
• Before consecutive division losses, North Panola was ranked in the state’s 3A AP poll.
Ruleville (5-6) at North Pontotoc (10-1)
THE BUZZ: North Pontotoc, ranked No. 4 in Class 3A by the AP, is riding a nine-game win streak.
O’Bannon (5-6) at Mooreville (7-3, 4-1)
THE BUZZ: Mooreville LB Taylor Franks has three INTs, two last week at North Pontotoc.
Kossuth (8-3) at Humphreys Co. (4-7)
THE BUZZ: Humphreys Co. hasn’t had a winning record since 2004. ... Kossuth has four shutout victories.
Booneville (5-5) at East Side (7-4)
THE BUZZ: Last met in the 2011 playoffs, a 40-14 East Side home win. ... Booneville has lost 3 of last 4.
CLASS 2A PLAYOFFS
H.W. Byers (5-4) at Calhoun City (10-0)
THE BUZZ: State’s No. 1 Class 2A team, Calhoun City, begins the hunt for a trip to Starkville. ... Byers followed a 50-0 win with a 50-0 loss this season.
Hatley (6-5) at J.Z. George (6-5)
THE BUZZ: Hatley, which has won three games in a row, playing the first playoff game in school history.
South Delta (3-8) at Walnut (9-2)
THE BUZZ: Walnut had nine straight wins until losing at Baldwyn. South Delta was 0-6 in non-division, including losses at Philadelphia and Hazlehurst.
West Bolivar (3-8) at Baldwyn (10-1)
THE BUZZ: Baldwyn QB Jacob Turner hasn’t thrown an interception in 108 passes. Bearcats are on a six-game winning streak.
New Site (6-5) at Hollandale (9-1)
THE BUZZ: New Site 1,000-yard RB J.T. Herring cleared to play through a torn ACL. ... Royals making their first playoff appearance.
Bruce (3-7) at Coahoma AHS (9-1)
THE BUZZ: Bruce Ole Miss WR commit Jay Johnson has a team-high 6 receiving TDs. Trojans have lost 4 of their last 5 games.
Strayhorn (6-4) at East Webster (9-2)
THE BUZZ: EW’s only losses came against 4A Houston and 1A power Calhoun City.
Compiled by Brandon Speck and Gene Phelps
