That earth-shaking groan you heard coming from the BrookhavenAcademy campus wasn’t associated with the Cougars’ loss to theTrinity Saints last Friday night in Natchez. Nope, this complaintis concerned with the realignment of districts and classifications;something that happens every two years in the the MississippiPrivate School Association.

Brookhaven Academy athletic director Barry Gray said the schoolwill appeal the redistricting to the MPSA’s executive committee onDec. 8. Considering what has happened to the Cougars, you wouldscream bloody murder, too.

The MPSA has put the Cougars in District 3-AA, effective for the2006-08 school years. That membership includes Copiah, AdamsChristian, Vicksburg Porters Chapel, and the Louisiana trio ofRiverfield, Franklin and Prairie View.

BA’s longtime and familiar District 4-AA opponents: Centreville,Columbia, Natchez Trinity, and Silliman Institute, Oak Forest andBowling Green of Louisiana are staying in District 4.

According to Gray, the road trips to Franklin in Winsboro,Riverfield in Rayville and Prairie View in Bastrop are staggering,especially when you pause and consider the price of gasoline ordiesel fuel these days. Growl.

“We will lose a lot of our traditional rivalries in the newdistrict,” said Gray. Most importantly, the dramatic reduction ofgate receipts will hit harder than an all-state linebacker.

BA headmaster Miller Hammil will direct the formal protest. TheMPSA will hear the request but the response isn’t expected to beencouraging.

The alternative is to hire a bus driver and lease a Trailwaysbus for long-distance road games. Another more radical alternativewould be to withdraw from the MPSA and join the Mississippi HighSchool Activities Association as a Class 1A school.

There are three Lincoln County 1A schools and a 2A which wouldlove to play BA in all sports. The gate would be great and thetravel minimal.

Meanwhile, Professor Hoopla B.S., was trying to find his wayhome after a hard day on the golf course. He predicted the winnersof 31 football games last week and only managed 20 correct, aseason low percentage.

Hoopla is praying for rain and hoping for better results in thisweekend’s forecasts, starting with a Thursday night special.

Co-Lin at Southwest: In a wild showdown, theBears claw out a victory in Hurst Stadium. Southwest 24-21.

Kosciusko at Brookhaven: Whippets boast somespeed but the Panthers have more balance. Ole Brook 28-14.

Brookhaven Academy at Adams Christian: Rebelsare ready to spring a River City ambush. ACCS 21-12.

Bogue Chitto at Mount Olive: Pirates flex theirNo. 1 muscles against the Bobcats. Mt. Olive 42-12.

Enterprise at Gulfport St. John: FightingYellow Jackets make a second straight trip to the Gulf Coast andsuffer similar results. St. John 29-16.

Loyd Star at Hinds AHS: War Dawgs unleash apowerful offense. Hinds AHS 39-14.

Stringer at West Lincoln: Bears are lookingforward to the homecoming dance. Stringer 40-14.

Wesson at Madison St. Joe: Cobras still have achance at making the state playoffs. St. Joe 29-8.

Lawrence County at McComb: Another closesetback for the Cougars. McComb 24-20.

Franklin County at Wilkinson County: Bulldogsescape Woodville with a narrow victory. Franklin County 26-16.

In other area games, Oak Forest over Copiah29-13, North Pike over West Marion 28-13, Hazlehurst over JeffersonCounty 40-16, South Pike over Columbia 52-12, Parklane overSilliman 38-10 and Crystal Springs over Raymond 42-6.

Ole Miss at Auburn: Rebels encounter a realdefense. Auburn 21-3.

Mississippi State at Kentucky: Wildcats authoran SEC win in Lexington. Kentucky 28-14.

Southern Miss at North Carolina State: GoldenEagles eke out a road victory. Southern Miss 22-17.

In other Magnolia State action, Arkansas PineBluff over Jackson State 28-18, Valley State over Prairie View22-12, Delta State over Ouachita 31-14, Sewanee over Millsaps37-10, Campbellsville over Belhaven 29-7, and Mississippi Collegeover Louisiana College 24-20. Alcorn State has open date torecruit.

In the SEC, Alabama over Utah State 38-10,Georgia over Florida 27-24, Tennessee over South Carolina 28-21 andLSU over North Texas 42-10 in a hurricane-delayed, makeup game.Arkansas and Vanderbilt have open dates to improve their academicreport.

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