MHSAA 3A Playoffs Quarterfinals preview: Tylertown, Enterprise-Clarke both remain undefeated
We will be three full weeks into the MHSAA Class 3A Playoffs come Friday, and we still have no idea of who will lift the Golden Ball the first week in December. What we do know is that we'll have new champions in both the North and the South, after Noxubee County and Magee both lost last week. Here's a look at this weekend's matchups, as well as what we can expect to see in each of them.
3A North
Amory (8-3) at Kossuth (10-2)
These two teams scrimmaged in the preseason — when Kossuth came away with a 13-7 win — but a lot has changed since then.
Amory comes in riding a six-game winning streak and having out-scored Mantachie and Independence by a combined score of 109-12 in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The offense is explosive, led by tailback Charleston French, who has run roughshod over pretty much every team they’ve faced.
Kossuth counters with a defense that has allowed just seven touchdowns in seven games since the start of October and an offense that has averaged 239 rushing yards a game. Quarterback Jack Johnson really makes the Aggies go — he’s racked up 1,651 yards of total offense and accounted for 21 touchdowns.
Winona (11-1) at North Panola (9-1)
A matchup between two teams that went undefeated in their respective regions and like to put a ton of points? Yes, please.
Winona comes in riding a six-game winning streak, and hasn’t lost to any team in Mississippi this season. The Tigers feature an offense led by quarterback Jekeyvion Burnley and tailback Deriaun Townsend that has been more than potent down the stretch, averaging 46.2 points a game since the start of October.
North Panola has a couple of offensive stars of its own, starting with quarterback Q.D. Walls, but the Cougars have also played exceptional defense. They’ve only allowed seven touchdowns since the start of October, and most of those came in garbage time after Walls and the offense had built huge leads.
3A South
Enterprise-Clarke (11-0) at Jeff Davis County (7-4)
Enterprise-Clarke comes into this third-round matchup with Jeff Davis County as a bit of an unknown, despite the Bulldogs’ perfect 11-0 record.
We know the Bulldog offense has averaged 263 yards a game on the ground — led by tailback Zee Sims (15 touchdowns) and quarterback Derryon Gray (20 total touchdowns) — and the defense has held opponents to an average of just 11.5 points per game. The schedule, however, has been less than challenging, as only one other Region 5 team has a winning record.
The Bulldogs have a chance to show everyone they are for real against a Jeff Davis County team that is a perennial championship contender. The Jaguars ran roughshod through Region 8 behind 3A Mr. Football Malcolm Hartzog, their two-way star who has accounted for 43 touchdowns. They whipped Clarkdale and Hazlehurst by a combined score of 94-33 in the first and second rounds.
Raleigh (9-1) at Tylertown (12-0)
Tylertown has looked unstoppable on its march to 12-0, but they haven’t faced a team of Raleigh’s caliber since early September.
The Lions come in having won nine games in a row against MHSAA opponents. They shut out Wilkinson County 43-0 in the first round of the playoffs and beat a good Morton team 43-27 in the second round last week. They’ve averaged 253 rushing yards a game this season and have pitched shutouts on defense in two of the last three games.
Tylertown can afford to open up the passing game a little more with Amarien Jefferson under center. The junior has passed for 2,166 yards and 31 touchdowns and leads an offense that had scored 44 or more points in six-straight games until last week’s 20-8 second-round win over Union.
Feature photo by Brandon Shields
