greenandgoldhawk

It’s time to see how teams have been working hard over the summer to start the season quest for to hold the 1A Gold Ball in Hattiesburg this December. Most times there are usually 1-2 teams thats stands out as the clear cut favorite. I dont think there is a clear cut favorite for 1A this year, but similar teams from last years playoff runs seem to be in similar boat as the front runners again this year. Will it be Biggersville, Baldwyn, Simmons, Velma Jackson, Taylorsville, or some surprised team? Which teams will show big improvements? Which teams will be a sleeper this year? My persoal opinion is a South team will be state champions. Here are the week 1 matchups for 1A. Which 1A teams will win over larger classifications this week? THURSDAY Ashland at Walnut Byers at Byhalia Calhoun City at Coffeeville West Marion at East Marion FRIDAY Biggersville at Hamilton French Camp at West Lowndes J.Z. George at Ethel Kossuth at Baldwyn Leake Central at Leake County Loyd Star at Enterprise-Lincoln McAdams at Sebastopol McLaurin at Salem Middleton (Tenn.) at Thrasher Mount Olive at Pucket Myrtle at Strayhorn Nanih Waiya at Vardaman North Pontotoc at Okolona Noxapater at SE Lauderdale O’Bannon at Leland Potts Camp at Falkner Purvis at Lumberton Resurrection at Bay High Smithville at Belmont Stringer at Seminary Taylorsville at Mize Tupelo Christian at East Union Velma Jackson at Canton West Bolivar at Lakeside (Ark.) West Tallahatchie at Riverside Yazoo County at South Delta

The other issue is every school also have students in county communities and unincorporated areas that sits either on or very close to county lines. For example, Shaw goes all the way to south to the Washington County county line and a county line road literally separates what goes to either Shaw in Bolivar County or Leland in Washington County within that unincorporated community. Shaw city limits also slightly crosses over into Sunflower County and students are accepted that are within x amount of miles into Sunflower County. If there was a centralized school or town within the county it would be easier. The next easiest thing would be to do like the court systems and have a West and East. The West side is already setup with West Bolivar in Rosedale but they would have to then find a way combined all the eastern schools within the county. This option would still leave long bus rides for student.

After the first district is made of northeast MS teams, there is only a few teams left to make the second north district with those remainder northeast schools in the GTA areas. The question becomes whether you put the Delta or the central MS teams like noxapater/Nanih waiya along with them. A good number of those northeast schools are non-football playing schools also.

I think some teams may be Vardaman, Simmons, and Velma Jackson. I cant remember Taylorsville squad but I believe they were young in certain areas as well.

As the new season approaches, who are some teams looking to take the crown as reigning champions from the Biggersville Lions?

The 2022 statement from the missisippi association itself clearly stated my initial statement which was the site was changed from Jackson due to Jackson State hosting its conference championship that weekend. It stated nothing about conflicts with other schools.

https://www.misshsaa.com/2022/08/04/back-to-the-rock-football-championships-return-to-usm/?fs=e&s=cl

I believe they still use “The Vet” in Jackson as part of their 4 sites rotation. Last time it was the Vet’s turn to host, Jackson State ended up hosting the SWAC Championship so they moved it back to Southern Miss for a second year.

McEvans is now again Shaw High as of the beginning 2023-2024 school year. The name change to start off a few years back had nothing to do with a merger. It was all a district’s decision to downside on number of schools in the district from 6 schools to 3 (closing of 3 (Ray Brooks, West Bolivar’s original high school building, and Shaw High School’s building (which were both already deemed unsafe) and to eliminate the need for those 3 extra separate administrative positions in attempt to save district money). They have since then realize that Shaw needs the separation in the elementary and middle/high school. Since Shaw operated out of one building originally built during segregated times for pre-integration black students, and the district decision at that time for Shaw to be one k-12 school with one administration instead of 2, the town’s citizen and the family of the black individual who built the school heavily voiced their opinion and wanted McEvans name and mascot over Shaw as the school name.

I have been seeing several post about the championship site rotation and want clarification. I will look on the MHSAA website as well. I do believe it currently rotates between 4 sites with Ole Miss, State, USM, and Veteran Stadium in Jackson. From my understanding, veteran stadium in Jackson lost its chance to host one year in the past 3 years because Jackson State University with the higher conference records and ranking earned the rights to host their collegiate conference championship game that weekend and USM became a last minute available solution for MHSAA and putting the championship event back at USM.

Biggersville has a lot of key playmakers to replace next year.

Final: Biggersville-53 Velma Jackson- 49. BIGGERSVILLE LIONS 2023 1A STATE CHAMPIONS

Championship week is finally here in week 15. The 2 expected teams to play each other are meeting up. Star players on both side of the field. Both teams dominated their paths to get to the state title game. Biggersville control their game against Vardaman from start to finish. Velma Jackson scored first and then had a rocky start being down 22-6 early 2nd qt to Taylorsville before outscoring Taylorsville 24-0 to end the first half and outscoring them 38-0 in all in the game. Who do you think win and would it be a close game or blowout?

North Vardaman 21 at Biggersville 41 South Taylorsville 22 at Velma Jackson 44

I believe Velma Jackson wouldve been one of the favorites if not the favorites even in 2A this year with what all they returned. I would love to see somebody give them and the fans a good game. I think they are just a Bay Springs repeat of just dropping down from a higher class with a loaded team. Shaw just lucked up and had a rare 16 senior players team last year’s title game or Bay Spring last year probably would have dropped 40-50 on them as well. Its rare to see a loaded heavy senior team in 1A. Idk the classifications for Taylorsville nor Velma Jackson though.

Four teams remain while the road to the state championship is wrapping up. All top seeded region teams will meet this week. Will this be the week Vardaman upset Biggersville, Taylorsville upset Velma Jackson, or both Velma Jackson and Biggersville win and perhap win easily? Predict the score? North Vardaman at Biggersville South Taylorsville at Velma Jackson

North Biggersville 42 at West Lowndes 8 Vardaman 27 at Baldwyn 20 South Taylorsville 22 at Simmons 12 Resurrection 13 at Velma Jackson 40

Simmons is really good. They are hard to measure because they typically dont schedule a tough out of district games. They usually schedule money games.

Its probably safe to say that the Taylorsville vs Hollandale-Simmons matchup is the most competitive and interesting matchup in 1A this year. I think Simmons will take this one in a close one being at home. BTW- Simmons representing Washington Co and the Delta is my pick to win 1A upsetting Velma Jackson and getting revenge on Biggersville playoffs lost from last season in the state game. I think Resurrection- Velma Jackson is the next interesting one. I believe velma jackson will win but Resurrection style of play will limit the amount of possessions and possibly be the lowest scoring game velma jackson has had so far. I think Vardaman and Baldwyn is a toss up but favors Vardaman. The game is in Baldwyn though and Baldwyn have had more of a challenge as far as opponents so they will be in a higher gear. Vardaman really hasnt had a challenge since the start of the season and will have to turn up a notch to keep their season going. As far as Biggersville vs West Lowndes, I think the luck of playoff draw and matchups will run out for West Lowndes. However, West Lowndes is know for having unusual large size for a 1A class. I think this game will start off slow but pick up for Biggersville as they route West Lowndes on the way to the north half title.

Down to the elite 8 for the 1A schools. What these playoffs have shown this year is you better be on your A game or get upset by your opponents. 1A havent really had any upsets yet, but will this be the week? North Biggersville at West Lowndes Vardaman at Baldwyn South Taylorsville at Simmons Resurrection at Velma Jackson

Scores North Okolona 8 at Biggersville 49 West Lowndes 24 at Potts Camp 15 Smithville 0 at Baldwyn 45 TCPS 14 at Vardaman 42 South Sacred Heart 21 at Simmons 56 Lumberton 0 at Taylorsville 36 South Delta 8 at Velma Jackson 40 West Tallahatchie 16 at Resurrection 33.

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There are just too many non football playing schools in 1A. Most regions had automatic playoff teams because 5 of the 8 regions have 1-2 non football teams in them and the other 3 regions have all 6 football playing teams in them. Some of those non-football playing schools even complained because they are not near other teams in their immediate area. If you do that a district or 2 would have had 1 or 2 football playing schools in it. 10 non playing football schools. 8 up north. Tremont, jumpertown, hickory Flat, blue mountain, houlka, wheeler, west union , pine grove. North Central and NE MS are just where the majority of the 1A schools are. 2 down south MS Deaf & Blind Piney Woods

They are. I was just listing it as the current furthest distance for a potential matchup if the matchup between the 2 schools was to occur at any point in any sport in these current regions. The drive between those Rosedale and Pascagoula schools is further than the drive between Webb and Pascagoula.

This week is where some 1A games will be more competitive. There are teams looking to disrupt the Biggersville vs Velma Jackson expected state championship matchup. Who will pull the upset this week? Which road team will steal a victory? North Okolona at Biggersville West Lowndes at Potts Camp Smithville at Baldwyn TCPS at Vardaman South Sacred Heart at Simmons Lumberton at Taylorsville South Delta at Velma Jackson West Tallahatchie at Resurrection. ( The most northern and southern 1A South teams). 5hr drive. 316 miles minimum from Webb, MS to Pascagoula, MS. Imagine a bus ride. P.S.-The furthest distance for a 1A south matchup should it occur in any sport and at any point would be Resurrection vs West Bolivar.