French Camp Academy might have to battle more than just opposing runners when the school hosts a cross-country meet Saturday. Runners will probably have to endure extreme heat, with a forecast calling for temperatures approaching, or even exceeding, 90.
It will be the first meet of the year for French Camp. There will be 5K races for boys and girls varsity teams and two mile runs for middle school teams.
Nine schools have registered for the meet — Choctaw County, Eupora, East Union, East Webster, French Camp, Kosciusko, Lafayette, Winona and Reimagine of Jackson, a charter school.
— Laurence Hilliard
PANTHERS VISIT OKOLONA FRIDAY
French Camp will begin Region 2-1A football play Friday at Okolona, a new opponent under MHSAA realignment. Okolona is 1-1 with a 26-0 loss to Aberdeen and a 33-8 win over Thrasher. Okolona was held to 66 yards of offense by Aberdeen, but rebounded to run for 204 in the Thrasher game.
Okolona has been a successful program in recent years. Two years ago, the Chieftains went 11-3, losing to state champion Simmons 20-14 in the third round of the 1A playoffs. Okolona was 9-4 last year and reached the second round of the playoffs.
— Laurence Hilliard
THIS WEEK’S SPOTLIGHT
French Camp Academy’s Phillip Caradine, a 5-9, 185 pound senior running back and defensive back, carried 17 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns and was credited with six tackles in a 54-20 loss to Eupora.
Choctaw County’s Ques McNeal, a 5-11, 165 pound junior wide receiver, had three catches for 58 yards and two TDs in a 24-21 loss to Calhoun City.
— Laurence Hilliard
ARCHIE WHO TWO?
Archie Manning’s grandson, Arch Manning, played his first high school football game and threw three touchdown passes. Young Arch is Cooper’s son and is a freshman at Newman High School in New Orleans.
— Dale McKee
REGION 2-1A WELL REPRESENTED
Three off the top four teams in the Mississippi Gridiron’s football rankings for MHSAA Class 1A all come from Region 2-1A.
Leading the way is 3-0 Smithville who plays host to No. 2 ranked Noxapater (2-1) at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Fourth ranked team is 1-2 Nanih Waiya. The defending state champion Warriors have lost to class 4A West Lauderdale and Class 2A Union, while beating Class 4A Choctaw Central. Ranked NO. 3 is Lumberton and No. 5 is Hollandale-Simmons.
— Austin Bishop
