High school football fever is heating up as the first round ofthe state playoffs arrives next Friday night. October has been anunusually warm month and there doesn’t seem to be a cold waveapproaching, unless you live in Canada.

Ready or not, two winter sports, basketball and soccer, are justaround the corner. Contrary to some reports, the goals used in therespective sports have not been taken down and outlawed until afterDec. 1.

Brookhaven High School launches its soccer campaign with a girlstournament Saturday at Crystal Springs. You can meet Coach KevinBower’s Panthers and Lady Panthers tonight in a pair of scrimmagesat the Hansel King Sportsplex.

Brookhaven Academy’s girls basketball team anxiously looksforward to next week’s Adams County Christian School Tournament inNatchez. The Lady Cougars, coached by Barry Gray, are defendingOverall Tournament champions, fresh from a perfect 43-0campaign.

The Copiah-Lincoln Community College men’s and women’sbasketball teams tip off their season Monday night at the NorthwestTournament in Senatobia, meeting the hosts. They’ll play ItawambaTuesday.

Wesson’s girls and boys basketball teams play Monday at theNorth Pike Tournament in Summit. BHS hosts the Ole Brook ShootoutSaturday, Nov. 6, starting at 10 a.m. Either boys or girls teamsfrom Heidelberg, McComb, Crystal Springs, Vicksburg, Hazlehurst,Provine, Clinton, Forest Hill, Callaway and Madison Central areentered.

Meanwhile, Professor Hoopla B.S., was dreaming of a vacation inthe Smoky Mountains near Ashville, N.C. The fall foliage isbeautiful this time of year.

Before departing, Hoopla deposited his latest list ofpredictions regarding this weekend’s football games. He posted a23-7 record. Special congratulations to Mississippi State, JacksonState and Valley State for their upset victories.

Here’s a preview of this weekend’s winners, starting with a fullmenu of Friday night lights.

Lawrence County at Brookhaven: Panthers andCougars are on a roll but they are going in opposite directions.Brookhaven 35-14.

Adams Christian at Brookhaven Academy: Bothteams are banged up but the Rebels are headed for the Class AAstate playoffs. Adams Christian 28-20.

Loyd Star at McLaurin: Tigers are enjoying anhistoric season of success while the Hornets are ending a year offrustration. McLaurin 44-12.

St. Aloysius at West Lincoln: Bears areactually confident of winning their homecoming game. West Lincoln27-16.

Bogue Chitto at Natchez Cathedral: Can theBobcats recover from the thrashing they received at the hands ofMt. Olive to master the Green Wave in D’Evereaux Stadium? Cathedral17-13.

Enterprise at Dexter: Yellow Jackets reboundfrom a lopsided setback to beat the Bulldogs. Enterprise 24-12.

Wesson at Hinds AHS: It’s been a majorrebuilding year for the Cobras while the Bulldogs have been aimingfor the state playoffs. Hinds AHS 30-14.

Wilkinson County at Franklin County: Bulldogsproduce a solid performance prior to entering the Class 3A stateplayoffs. Franklin County 42-12.

Oak Forest at Copiah Academy: Colonels don’thave enough power to conquer the Yellowjackets. Oak Forest34-21.

North Pike at Amite County: Wow! Jaguars wintwo in a row. North Pike 19-18.

South Pike at McComb: Eagles apply a soundspanking to the Tigers. South Pike 38-12.

Crystal Springs at Hazlehurst: In anothercounty rivalry, Hazlehurst’s Indians maintain their dominance onthe gridiron. Hazlehurst 41-16.

Parklane at Silliman Institute: Pioneers arepoised to win their fourth straight game. Parklane 45-6.

Hoopla sips a tangerine-flavored Diet Rite and delivers thislist of Saturday’s winners.

Southwest at Co-Lin: Homecoming in StoneStadium has a happy ending for the Wolfpack. Co-Lin 31-21.

Kentucky at Mississippi State: Is it possiblefor the Bulldogs to end their week-long victory celebration toknock off the Wildcats? State 28-23.

Auburn at Ole Miss: Tommy Tuberville’sundefeated Tigers might be ripe for an upset but it won’t happen inOxford. Auburn 39-19.

In other Magnolia State games, Arkansas-PineBluff will ambush Jackson State 28-10, Southeastern Louisiana willdump Alcorn State 38-19, Valley State will stop Prairie View 22-7,Sewanee will stop Millsaps 27-10, Cumberland will handle Millsaps21-7, Delta State will sack Ouachita Baptist 41-27, and MississippiCollege will clip Louisiana College 28-12. Southern Miss has anopen date to promote its basketball program.

In the SEC, LSU over Vanderbilt 35-10,Tennessee over South Carolina 33-23, and Florida over Georgia17-14. Alabama and Arkansas have open dates to remember the goodol’ days.

Writer to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER,P.O. BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com