Where is Vancleave?

How far is it to Meadville?

Welcome to the opening round of the Mississippi High SchoolActivities Association state football playoffs.

High school football fans are unfolding their road maps anddiscovering where their favorite teams are playing Friday night.Yes, in most cases, you do need a road map, unless your teamsfinished either first or second in their respective regionraces.

Certainly, there is adventure in road games. Football folks cantravel to strange places and meet new friends. Hey, there could bea popular eatery located in Vancleave.

Coaches call the playoffs the second season. Throw out therecord books and start over. All you have to do is win, baby.

Personally speaking, Region 6-4A should do well in the playoffs.Terry and McComb finished 1-2 respectively, giving the Bulldogs andTigers the home field advantage. Terry hosts D’Iberville and McCombentertains Gautier. Meanwhile, No. 3 Brookhaven visits Vancleaveand No. 4 Mendenhall invades Forrest County AHS at Brooklyn.

Wesson, in Class 2A, and Franklin County and Hazlehurst in Class3A should represent this area well in the state playoffs. TheHazlehurst Indians are the defending Class 3A state champions.

Brookhaven Academy’s 9-1 Cougars already have secured theDistrict 6-AA crown and begin state playoff action next Fridaynight on their home turf.

Meanwhile, Professor Hoopla B.S., was looking for some friendlyturf after three weeks on his houseboat. Those cold, damp nightshave been clogging his sinuses.

Before leaving for Arizona, Hoopla dropped off his latest listof predictions. He picked the winners of 30 football games lastweek and got 25 right. He’ll begin this venture with a Thursdaynight special, followed with some Friday night high schoolgames.

West Alabama at Delta State: The Fighting Okraplay well on Thursday nights. Delta State 29-13.

Brookhaven at Vancleave: If the Panthers cancope with the long bus ride, they should bring home a victory.Brookhaven 24-21.

Brookhaven Academy at Central Private: Rebelsare plotting an ambush in Baker, La. Cougars by a whisker.Brookhaven Academy 21-18.

Enterprise at Bogue Chitto: Bobcats have becomeexperts at losing close games. In a change of fortunes, BogueChitto 38-20.

West Lincoln at St. John: This game, played inPerkinston, will be a little closer to home, but it won’t help theBears. St. John 24-14.

Mize at Wesson: Cobras look for revenge as theClass 2A state playoffs get under way. Wesson 22-12.

Raymond at Franklin County: Grady McCluskey’sBulldogs should make short work of the improving Rangers. FranklinCounty 35-13.

In other area action, expect Hazlehurst tohammer South Pike 31-16, Tylertown to trample Crystal Springs 32-7,McComb to dump Gautier 26-10, Bowling Green to clip Copiah Academy19-17 and Jackson Prep to sack Parklane 26-14.

Itawamba at Co-Lin: There’s revenge in the airas the Wolfpack scalps the Indians Saturday night. Co-Lin21-14.

Pearl River at Northwest: Wildcats are 3-timedefending state champions, so they know to win big games. PearlRiver 28-20.

Northwestern (La.) State at Ole Miss: If moralvictories counted, the Rebels would be leading the SEC WesternDivision. Ole Miss 30-14.

Mississippi State at Alabama: Saddled withtheir sixth straight losing season, the Bulldogs can’t win inTuscaloosa. Alabama 24-12.

Alabama A&M at Jackson State: Tigers end a2-game tailspin. Jackson State 38-21.

Alcorn State at Valley State: In a SWACshowdown, the Braves escape Itta Bena with a victory. Alcorn19-10.

Southern Miss at Memphis: In a Sunday nightspecial, the Golden Eagles end a 2-game losing streak in LibertyBowl Memorial Stadium. Southern Miss 37-14.

In other Magnolia State action, Millsaps shouldtopple Rhodes 22-10, Belhaven should stop Shorter 19-7, andMississippi College should nip Howard Payne 14-13.

In the SEC, Arkansas over South Carolina 21-14,Auburn over Arkansas State 48-10, Florida over Vanderbilt 32-19,Georgia over Kentucky 28-21, and Tennessee over LSU 33-23.

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