In Justin Bigham’s first game as Tallulah Academy’s head coach, the Trojans scored 80 points. In the second, they almost matched that total in the first quarter.
Tallulah scored 62 points in less than nine minutes last week during an 82-36 win over Delta Streets Academy. Tallulah returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and ran a total of 11 offensive plays in the period, which was bizarre even for the high-scoring world of eight-man football.
“I didn’t even know what quarter it was. I was talking to the official and asked how much time was left, and he said five minutes. We had 40 points by then,” Bigham said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I was still frustrated about how they were scoring at will, and didn’t realize we were scoring that fast.”
Tallulah (6-1, 3-1 District 8-A) and Delta Streets combined for 90 points in the quarter — it was 62-28 at the end of it — along with 489 yards of total offense. The yardage total doesn’t include kickoff return touchdowns of 92 and 81 yards by Tallulah’s Zach Boney.
Given the fast start, the most amazing part of the game might have been the final score. After scoring 11 touchdowns in the first 10 minutes, the teams only put four on the board in the last three quarters.
“We were on pace to score 240 points. I said we’ve got to settle it down a little,” Bigham said.
Tallulah has scored 218 points in its last three games and is shaping up as a dangerous playoff team — if it can get there. The Trojans need to beat Clinton Christian (7-2, 3-0) tonight to secure a berth.
There are some scenarios that could open the door for either team to reach the postseason with a loss, but undefeated Briarfield (8-0, 3-0) would need to lose to Franklin Academy (5-4, 1-2) tonight. That essentially makes the Tallulah-Clinton Christian game a loser leaves town match.
“We could be 6-2 and watching somebody else in the playoffs. We win and we’re 7-1, and probably second in the district,” Bigham said. “In the past 15 years, this will be the biggest football game at Tallulah Academy. We have an eighth-grader who starts for us, and this will be the biggest game in his lifetime.”

Sharkey-Issaquena at Calhoun Academy
Sharkey-Issaquena Academy (9-0) clinched the District 6-A championship last week, and now will aim for its second consecutive perfect regular season in the last two games.
The first hurdle is Calhoun Academy (4-4), which is riding a three-game losing streak into its showdown with the defending state champs.
SIA quarterback Jack Martin has thrown for 1,173 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, while running backs Cooper Anthony and Austin Steed have combined to score 31 times.
Steed is a dual threat, with 563 yards and nine TDs on the ground and 483 yards and nine TDs receiving.

Central Hinds at Simpson Academy
Central Hinds’ playoff hopes took a huge hit last week not with its own loss to Adams Christian, but Simpson Academy’s 37-0 rout of Hartfield Academy.
Central Hinds (3-6, 1-1 District 4-AA) lost to Hartfield earlier this season, and now must beat Simpson (6-3, 2-0) and hope hapless Wayne Academy (1-8, 0-2) beats Hartfield (3-6, 1-1) to sneak into the playoffs through the back door.
Simpson Academy has clinched the District 4-AA championship. Hartfield will get the second automatic playoff berth with a win tonight or a Central Hinds loss.

Port Gibson at Florence
One of Mississippi’s worst teams hits the road to play one of the best when Port Gibson (0-3, 0-3 Region 6-4A) travels to face Florence (8-1, 3-0), the No. 5 team in this week’s Associated Press Class 4A poll.
Port Gibson is only playing its region schedule this season following the 2013 state takeover of the Claiborne County School District. The Blue Waves have lost 12 consecutive games dating to last season, and have been outscored 105-25 this year.
Florence, meanwhile, has ripped off eight straight wins following a season-opening loss to Yazoo County. It has scored 35 or more points in each of its last five games.

Madison at Richwood
Madison Parish reached four wins for the first time since 2004 with its 48-14 victory over Carroll last week, and will try to keep climbing the playoff ladder when it plays at Richwood tonight.
Madison (4-3, 1-1 District 2-3A), which faces first-place Union Parish next week, can set up a shot at the district title with a win tonight. The Jaguars are also ranked No. 26 in this week’s Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 3A power rankings that determine the bulk of the playoff field.
The LHSAA awards automatic bids to each of 11 district champions in Class 3A, then uses the power rankings to fill out the rest of the 32-team playoff bracket.