There will be a full slate of MHSAA high school playoff football being played on Friday and there are three area teams that will look to keep their seasons going this week. A reminder that admission to the postseason is $10 per person and only state passes are accepted.

 

MHSAA 2A Playoffs

Bogue Chitto (6-4) at Heidelberg (10-1)

Oiler Field, Heidelberg

Bogue Chitto fans will head to where Jones and Jasper Counties corner up to take on a strong Heidelberg High team in the second round of the 2A postseason on Friday.

It’s a part of the state where you’d often see the spinning wheels of land rigs pulling crude from the dirt, hence Heidelberg bearing the nickname of the Oilers.

Last year, in their first season under new head coach Darryl Carter, the Oilers had one of the best seasons in school history, finishing 11-4 and losing 26-22 to Charleston High in the 2A championship game.

The Oilers have kept that momentum going this season as their lone loss was a 16-8 setback in week three to their county rivals from Bay Springs (8-3).

Since that loss, Heidelberg has won eight straight games, including a 66-0 triumph over Clarkdale last week in the 2A first round.

The combined score in those eight wins was 472-13. Heidelberg beat Mize, the team that finished second in Region 8-2A, 52-0. They beat Clarkdale in a non-region game 70-7 late in the year.

BC and Heidelberg played in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, a game won 34-14 by the Oilers on the road.

Last week, Bogue Chitto won its first playoff game since the 2012 team, which finished 13-1, made it to the final four of the 1A bracket.

In that 34-12 win at home over St. Andrew’s Episcopal, the Bobcats got 290 yards on the ground and three rushing scores from sophomore tailback Jayden Poole. Poole averaged 18.1 yards per carry on 16 rushes. Senior Jabari Stafford added a rushing score and sophomore quarterback Alex-Michael Roberts went 9-of-11 passing with a touchdown throw that went to senior Isaiah Collins.

The BC defense was led by Warren Wallace with 10 tackles and Tyler Pruden with seven stops.

 

Loyd Star (9-2) vs. Mize (8-3)

Hornet Field, Highway 550

The clock won’t likely stop often when Loyd Star hosts the Mize Bulldogs from Smith County in the second round of the 2A bracket.

Both teams are going to run the ball and the key will be which side will complete drives with touchdowns on offense and limit big chunks of yardage on the defensive side of things.

The opening round wasn’t much of a test for either side as Loyd Star won 42-6 against Pelahatchie and Mize cruised past Lake 48-12.

Mize and LS share a common opponent in Wesson. The Cobras were the last team to beat the Hornets, defeating them 44-12 in week two. Three weeks later, Wesson topped Mize 20-7 at home.

The other losses this season for Mize and coach Matt Maddox this season have been to Raleigh (10-1) and the Region 8-2A champs Heidelberg (10-1).

Mize has made the second round of the 2A bracket the last two seasons, losing both times in close fashion. In 2022, Velma Jackson eliminated Mize 14-7. A year later, the Bulldogs were put out in the second round with a 17-7 loss to Scott Central.

On offense, Mize is going to run a double-wing offense that will require discipline, assignment-based football from the Hornet defense. Freshman Carson Cunningham, senior Luke Cotton, senior Zack Cotton and junior Cooper Creel are the four leading tacklers on defense for the Hornets.

The Bulldogs will spread carries out among several backs, but when they need a big play, they give it to 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore tailback Jamiyon Gray.

On the flip side, the Hornets use a single-wing look that allows them to feature a trio of sophomores in Phillip Ross Spencer, Tristan Fortenberry and Jordyn Kees. All three scored multiple touchdowns in the win over Pelahatchie last week.

Loyd Star last had a football season that included two postseason wins in 2001, which is also the only season in program history for that to happen.

The winner of this game will take on either Scott Central (7-4) or Raleigh (10-1) in the 2A quarterfinals.

 

MHSAA 5A Playoffs

Brookhaven (9-1) vs. Vancleave (5-5)

King Field, Brookhaven

For a second-straight season, the Brookhaven High Panthers will open the MHSAA 5A playoffs with a home matchup against Vancleave High.

Last season, Vancleave opened the game with an onside kick and then put together a grinding drive that ended with a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Bulldogs from Jackson County didn’t sniff the endzone again after that, as current Mississippi State freshman running back Xavier Gayten ran wild for 250 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-7 win for the Panthers.

BHS is coming off a 36-20 win last week at Natchez High.

The winner of this matchup will face either Florence High (6-4) or Stone High (5-5) in the second round of the 5A bracket.