[11/7/03]After an exhausting 48-42 slugfest with Lee (Ark.) a week ago, Briarfield (8-3) emerges in the second round of the Academy-A playoffs to face Wayne (6-4) on the road.

Wayne, which finished second in its conference behind Heidelberg, defeated Central Holmes 24-6 in the first round.

“They’re very good,” Briarfield coach Lance Prine said. “They’re not overly big, but they execute well.”

Tailback Patten Stanley leads the Jaguars’ ground game, which will be aided by the return of their fullback from injury.

Adding to the problem, the Rebels may be without fullback and linebacker E.J. Holden. Holden, playing with a sprained ankle, injured both his other ankle and his knee against Lee.

“It’s pretty serious,” Prine said. “It’s hurts because he does so much for us.”

If Briarfield follows its gameplan of ball control and sound defense, the Rebels can advance to face the winner between Heidelberg and Strider.

Central Hinds (8-3) at Oak Forest, La. (9-2)

With a loss to Simpson earlier in the season, Central Hinds enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from Conference 2-AA.

The Cougars have bounced back with a pair of one-sided shutouts against Central Holmes and Benton. Now, they face an Oak Forest team whose only losses came against MRA (9-1) and Trinity Episcopal (11-0).

The winner of the game will advance to face either Simpson or Columbus.

Hinds AHS (7-3) hosts Enterprise-Clarke (6-4)

Hinds AHS will be at full strength for the first time in three games when it plays host to a dangerous Enterprise-Clarke team tonight. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Utica.

“We’re at full throttle and ready to go,” said HAHS coach Michael Fields, whose team is coming off back-to-back losses to Loyd Star and Wesson.

The War Dawgs, two years removed from a winless season, reached the playoffs last year, but were ousted in the first round by Lumberton.

“(Our players) are still sleeping and they don’t want to wake up,” said Fields of his team’s second-place finish in Region 6-2A and a seven-win season. “I don’t want to wake up either.”

Fields said that Enterprise runs a basic offensive and defensive package, but the Bulldogs will have a size advantage.

Led by running back Albert Williams, who has rushed for 1,161 yards and 12 touchdowns on 238 carries, the War Dawgs will have a decided speed advantage. Austin Divinity, a wide receiver/quarterback, leads the team with 13 touchdowns.

“If we can pop anything loose outside, that could be a turning point in the game,” Fields said.

South Delta (6-4) at North Pontotoc (9-1)

South Delta’s 14-6 victory over Humphreys County last Friday secured the No. 3 seed in Region 4-3A. That enabled the Bulldogs to avoid a playoff match against Corinth (9-1), and instead they face a weaker, but still talented North Pontotoc.

North Pontotoc has lost only once in the last seven weeks 35-7 to Corinth and is riding a three-game win streak.

Tallulah wraps up its season with a road game against Class 2A Crowville. The Trojans lost to Delhi, 30-22, last week for their fourth loss this season by 12 points or less.

Quarterback Greg Smith threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns against Delhi, putting him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Davidson (2-7) at Newellton (3-6)

Davidson and Newellton both finish off down years with a battle for Tensas Parish bragging rights.

Davidson, a playoff team last season, has been hit hard by injuries this year and lost seven straight after a 2-0 start. Beating Newellton would be a good finish to an awful year, coach Dennis Johnson said.

“The things we’ve been through, if we can end on a good note it’ll give these guys something good to go into the offseason with,” Johnson said.