August 7, 2008

Nearly seven years have passed since Vicksburg High came within a touchdown of reaching a state championship. Porters Chapel has come close in the academy ranks, but for the most part, area teams driving deep into state football playoffs has been nil in more recent years. Their seasons are usually over well before Thanksgiving.

In a football-rich county, having early ends to football seasons should be an anomaly, not the norm. But as they say, hope springs eternal. With the start of football practice, the hopes for the four Warren County football teams are far-reaching. Whether those goals can be attained is still a question.

Vicksburg stumbled in two key games last season – a shocking loss to Canton and a close defeat at Ridgeland. With talent at the skill positions and what appeared to be a favorable Class 4A schedule, the Gators should have run deep into the postseason. Those two stumbles, though, resulted in a first-round trip to West Point and a first-round loss.

Warren Central nearly made the playoffs last season following a shocking victory over Clinton, but a late-season loss to Provine derailed the Vikings’ chances. Once a staple in state playoffs, Warren Central will seek to reclaim the level of competition that once made it a feared competitor around the state.

To do it this season, the Vikings will need a huge season from running back Joel Forbes, who is closing in on 3,000 yards for his career. The defense again should drive the team and if the offense can find a consistent rhythm, WC could be playoff-bound again.

An intriguing story heading into the season is St. Aloysius, under first-year coach B.J. Smithhart. The Flashes return a wealth of talent at the skill positions and, if the offensive line and defense perform, the Flashes could be a dark horse in Class 1A.

Chris Lewis will begin his third season at quarterback and can run and throw. With the addition of Ryno Martin-Nez at running back, the Flashes will be a team to reckon with.

Porters Chapel Academy coach Randy Wright, who has had the most consistent run of winning over the past decade, again will be a tough act. Quarterback Clayton Holmes will start his first season for the Eagles and can run and throw. Finding quality, reliable receivers will be a key component in the Eagles’ quest for a playoff run.

At this point, every team from South Panola to Gulfport is 0-0. Perfect. No losses. Preseason conditioning and work ethic during the dog days of summer could mean the difference between making the playoffs and staying home in November.

There is no reason this county should not have football teams that are fixtures in state playoffs. It happened in the past and can happen again.

Sean P. Murphy is sports editor of The Vicksburg Post.E-mail him at smurphy@vicksburgpost.com