A battle for first place in Region 6-2A is on tap Friday nightat Williams E. “Sambo” Smith Field when the host Loyd Star Hornetsentertain the Wesson Cobras. The teams are tied for first placewith 1-0 region records and are 5-1 on the season.

Other Lincoln County teams seeing district action include Terryat Brookhaven, Oak Forest at unbeaten Brookhaven Academy, Dexter atBogue Chitto, Natchez Cathedral at Enterprise and West Lincoln atSalem. Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto will also be celebratinghomecoming Friday night.

Area football games include Hazlehurst at Franklin County, AmiteCounty at Lawrence County, Crystal Springs at Wilkinson County,Lamar at Copiah Academy, Jefferson County at North Pike,Madison-Ridgeland at Parklane, Port Gibson at McComb and Raymond atSouth Pike.

Friday night’s game between Loyd Star and Wesson will determinefirst and second place leaders in the division. McLaurin (3-2, 0-0)is currently the third team in the standings. The other regionteams in the bottom of the standings are St. Andrew’s (0-5, 0-0),Madison St. Joseph (1-4, 0-1) and Hinds AHS (0-6, 0-1).

“We feel like whoever wins Friday night will have an excellentshot at being No. 1 in our division,” said Loyd Star head coachAnthony Hart. “They (Wesson) are very good. We feel that they maybe as complete a team as we have played. They are good in allphases of the game, offense, defense and special teams.

“It’s gonna be a tough ball game,” continued Hart. “It’s gonnabe good. I told (Wesson) Coach (Ronald) Greer they are reallygood.”

Hart said there were three things his Hornets needed to do tobeat the Cobras.

” Number1, we can’t have turnovers; we have had several thisyear,” stressed Hart. “Number 2, we have to be able to slow themdown. They have moved the ball against everyone they have played.Number 3, they are strong defensively. We have to find a way tomove the ball against them.”

Last Friday, Loyd Star shut out Hinds AHS 47-0 and Wessondestroyed Madison St. Joseph 43-7 in a pair of region tests. On theseason, Loyd Star has outscored its opponents 185-119 and Wessonhas outscored its opposition 164-77.

Powering the Hornets over Hinds AHS was senior tailback DerrickJohnson with nine carries for 112 yards and three touchdowns.Demarcus Barnes rushed five times for 28 yards and two TDs.

Defensively, Daniel Sisco and Beau Morrison led Loyd Star withsix tackles apiece.

“They (Loyd Star) have a real good football team,” stated CoachGreer. “Derrick and Demarcus are as good a 1-2 punch as you canhave. They are hard to tackle.

“We must play extremely well and protect the football,” saidGreer. “They (Loyd Star) are well coached. This is an awful biggame.”

Wesson got a touchdowns from Marcus Corley, Russell Robinson,James Shannon, Billy Ray Miller, Ryan Williams and Emanuel Sinclairin the win over St. Joe. Miller and Williams helped the Cobradefense with eight tackles apiece.

Both teams have talented kickers. Jody Britt of Loyd Star nailed5 of 7 in PATs against Hinds AHS. Wesson’s Nick Gunter was 5-for-5against St. Joe.

In last year’s game, Loyd Star defeated Wesson 18-7 and wentinto the playoffs as runners-up to Richland.

Brookhaven Academy puts its unblemished 6-0 winning streak onthe line against 4-1 Oak Forest Friday night in a big District 4-AAgame. Last week, Brookhaven Academy gunned down rival CentralPrivate 20-7 while Oak Forest shut out Amite Christian School21-0.

“Oak Forest is very good,” said Brookhaven Academy head footballcoach Ray Ishee.

According to Ishee, the only team to beat Oak Forest is Silliman(La.) Institute.

“They’re big, fast and numerous,” stated Ishee. “They havearound 50 kids on the team so they outnumber us twice.”

Ishee said the Jackets have an outstanding receiver named HoyteMcNabb (5-9, 170, sr.). They have three or four tailbacks who canreally run. Quarterbacking the Jackets is Cragg Fitz (5-10, 175,sr.).

“We must control the football to beat them,” said Ishee. “Theyhave to stop our fullback (Adam Smith).”

Smith powered the Cougar ground game last Friday with 28 rushesfor 152 yards and three touchdowns in the 20-7 win over CentralPrivate. Smith also kicked 2 out of 3 PATs.

On defense, Jeffrey Waycaster led the Cougars with 11 tackles.Paul Coker and Tyler Lofton collected 10 stops apiece. Coker alsointercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

“It should be a war,” added Ishee.

Bogue Chitto squares off against tough Region 4-1A foeDexter for homecoming Friday. Coach Carl Cole’s Bobcats knocked offthe West Lincoln Bears 57-0 and Dexter fell to Mize 35-21 lastFriday in a pair of important division games.

Mize and Enterprise are tied for the No. 1 spot in theregion with 4-0 records. Bogue Chitto and Dexter are 3-1 in regionplay.

Bobcat senior runningback Dominique Addison scored threetouchdowns and rushed three times for 84 yards versus West Lincoln.Top rusher was Antonio Diggs with 85 yards on seven carries and onetouchdown.

John Wallace directed the Bobcat defense with eighttackles.

In last year’s game, Dexter whipped Bogue Chitto44-0.

Enterprise wants to take care of division nemesisNatchez Cathedral Friday night and maintain the No. 1 or No. 2spot. Coach Ricky Deere’s Yellow Jackets hammered the Stringer RedDevils 42-20 and Cathedral fell to Mt. Olive 33-13 lastFriday.

Cathedral comes into the game 2-3 on the season and 1-3in region play.

In the win over Stringer, Enterprise senior runningbackBobby Smith scored three touchdowns. Shermaine Vaughn finished with122 yards on 14 carries.

Daily Leader Defensive Player of the Week, juniorlinebacker Chase Raiford, led the Jackets with 14 tackles andrecovered a fumble. Making 12 stops was JoshPruden.

West Lincoln is still looking for its first win ofthe season when the Bears travel to Salem to face the Wildcats. TheBears (0-6, 0-4) are coached by Roe Burns, who is in his first yearat West Lincoln.

Salem (1-4, 1-3) posted its first win of the seasonlast Friday, upsetting region rival St. Aloysius 7-0. The St. AlFlashes are alive in the race with a 2-2 division record and 4-2overall worksheet.

West Lincoln junior tailback Stacy Fells rushed for56 yards on 21 carries versus Bogue Chitto. Defensively, CodyMitchell paced the Bear defense with ninetackles.

Last season, Salem thrashed West Lincoln42-19.

Franklin County bounced back in the wincolumn last Friday with a 32-6 Region 6-3A win over JeffersonCounty. The Meadville-based Bulldogs are coached by MichaelGoff.

Friday night, Franklin County (3-3, 1-1) entertainsdivision rival Hazlehurst for an important game. The Indians (2-3,1-1) are coached by Willie Brown. Hazlehurst was whipped byundefeated region leader Wilkinson County 61-21 lastFriday.

Daily Leader Offensive Player of the Week James Huntsparked Franklin County with 18 rushes for 196 yards and threetouchdowns. Pacing the Bulldog defense with 11 tackles and one sackwas senior Cliff Herring.

Franklin County dumped Hazlehurst 27-18 in lastseason’s matchup.

Lawrence County demolished Region 6-4A rivalPort Gibson 42-21 last Friday and now prepares for non-divisionopponent Amite County. Coach Trent Hammond’s Monticello-basedCougars are 5-1 on the season and 2-1 in second place in the regionstandings.

Amite County (2-3, 2-1) is in Region 6-3A andpounded Crystal Springs 48-6 last Friday.

Powering Lawrence County with six rushes for 165yards against Port Gibson was Wayne Hardy. Johnathan Eley scoredfour touchdowns, rushing 16 times for 148 yards.