From staff reports

For nine weeks, Tallulah Academy worked to get itself ready for two games.

The Trojans face Trinity tonight in Natchez in the first of two games that will determine their playoff fate. The reward for success is high, and the price of failure steep. Win both games — the second is next week at home against Briarfield — and Tallulah will celebrate its first district championship since 2002. Lose either, and it might not even make the playoffs.

“It’s the first of two that are must-wins,” Tallulah coach John Weaver said of tonight’s matchup with Trinity. “It’s four teams with three games against each other. All season I’ve compared this district to the SEC West. This one’s against Florida, the next one is against Alabama. One team with a winning record is going to be sitting at home for the playoffs.”

Only two of the three frontrunners in District 6-A — Tallulah (6-3, 1-0 in district play), Trinity (6-3, 2-0) and Briarfield (8-1, 1-1) — will make the playoffs. Because of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools’ tiebreaker system, Tallulah can still make the playoffs with a loss to Trinity but cannot win the district title without it.

A Trinity win over

Tallulah would wrap up the district title for the Saints and leave Tallulah and Briarfield to play for the second-place spot next week. If Tallulah wins tonight and next week, it will win the district title. If Tallulah wins tonight and loses to Briarfield, it would create a three-way tie that Tallulah would likely lose because of a point differential tiebreaker.

The three different scenarios essentially make the Briarfield game more important for Tallulah than the one against Trinity.

As odd and confusing as Tallulah’s playoff scenarios seem, at least they’re not as frustrating as Briarfield’s. The Rebels host Claiborne Academy tonight in a non-district game and are looking for their ninth win of the season. A victory would ensure no worse than a 9-2 overall record, better than either Trinity or Tallulah. A loss in next week’s regular-season finale, though, would leave Briarfield at home for the playoffs.

Briarfield lost to Trinity earlier this season, 40-19, and can’t win the district championship.

Hinds AHS at Puckett

Hinds AHS (6-2, 2-1) can win the Region 6-2A championship by winning its last two regular-season games, tonight at Puckett and next week at home against Loyd Star (7-1, 2-1), and having Wesson (7-1, 2-1) lose at least one of its remaining games.

Puckett, the 2008 Class 1A champion, has made a smooth transition to Class 2A. It is 7-1 this season and, at 3-0, the only undefeated team in the region. It trounced Loyd Star 42-17 last week.

“Their thing is unity. They’ve got some stellar ball players, but everybody accepts their role and gives 100 percent on every play,” Hinds coach Michael Fields said of Puckett. “If you’ve got any aspirations of being the best, you’ve got to beat the best.”

South Pike at Port Gibson

Port Gibson (4-5, 1-2) can lock up a playoff berth tonight with a win over visiting South Pike (3-5, 1-2). The Blue Waves bounced back from a three-game losing streak to beat Crystal Springs 27-0 last week in Port Gibson. The Blue Waves are currently tied with South Pike for fourth place in the six-team Region 7-4A. The top four teams advance to the 4A playoffs next month.