It's Finally Here

The time is here again. That's right, High School football is back in full swing tonight as West Point travels to Macon, MS to take on Rival Noxubee County in the first game of the season. I love high school football, always have and always will. I think it's the familiarity of it. Knowing kids and coaches on the team personally, and not just from reading the newspaper. The innocence of it, no scholarships or big contracts, just pure love and passion for the game.

West Point is coming off of their best season since 1989 (when they won their 3rd straight state title) winning the 2005 4A state title in dramatic fashion over highly favored Wayne County. This year West Point must replace 29 seniors from last years team, leaving 6 returning starters on the #1 defense in 4A, and 3 starters on the #2 offense in 4A. It will definitely be a more challenging year, but from what I saw in their jamboree game against a good 5A Tupelo team, they look to be up to meeting the expectations that they lived up to last year.

West Point will begin their quest for a 6th state title which would give them more than any other team above the 1A classification (unless South Panola - 5 state titles - wins a state title in 5A this year). In the 1980's, West Point was the king of high school football in any classification winning the AA state title in 1982 over highly favored Gulfport, and being the first and until recently the only large school to ever win 3 straight state titles, winning them in 4A in 87 & 88, and then moving up to 5A and winning it all in 89. West Point has also been to the title game two other times, losing in 85 and 2002. They are one of the more tradition rich programs in the state, and although they hit a rough patch in the mid and late nineties, a once proud program has been revived and is now back on the map. In fact, since West Point's 2002 state title game loss to D'iberville, they have yet to lose to a 4A opponent, moving up to 5A in 03 & 04 (although still competing against some 4A competition).

West Point will compete in Region 1-4A for the second year which includes Shannon, New Albany, Tishomingo County, Itawamba Agricultural, Pontotoc & Saltillo. Although playing in arguable the weakest district in the state, West Point's tough non-region schedule against Noxubee, Columbus, Starkville & Louisville will have them battle tested come playoff time. Here's to another great season for the hometown team.

My prediction for tonight's game:

WP - 21
NC - 6