By By Josh Taylor/The Meridian Star
Sept. 19, 2001
Standing strong at 2-1 the Southeast Tigers will be opening district play Friday night looking for revenge in Carthage.
"It's a very important game," said Tigers head coach Dwane Taylor.
Carthage has won the last two meetings in the close series winning 27-25 last year and 22-20 in 1999.
"We've blown this game two years in a row," said Taylor. "We're gonna play the best we can and see what happens."
Carthage also stands at 2-1 with a 14-0 shutout win over Scott Central last week.
Last week's game brought a big 42-14 win for the Tigers over Clarkdale as the Tiger's offense hit their stride followed by a strong defense.
The offense is led by senior quarterback Ben Reed who racked up an impressive 274 yards of total offense last week.
Reed poses a threat with his arm as well as his legs proving this with a 75 yard punt return for a touchdown last week.
The Tigers also have an exceptional running back in Travis Reed who put up 138 yards of total offense last week.
Ben Reed likes to vary his passing attacks with many targets including Travis Reed and Willie Hood.
Don't forget about Roderick Baskin as a Tiger threat on all sides of the ball.
The Tiger's fierce defense is led by linebacker Matt Raines, end Steven Willis, and linean LaPatrick Carlisle. Defensive coordinator Dwane Taylor Jr. has fired up the defense to new heights.
Overall, the Tigers have one of their most solid teams in years. Their only loss was a 14-8 Northeast victory that went into overtime.
"The attitude is good around practice," said Taylor. "They realize that it's a huge district game."
Carthage has a hardnosed team as well. Running back Raymond Youngblood is quick and big leading the offense.
"They're a typical Carthage team, big," said Taylor. "We're gonna have to contain their power running game."
Carthage's defense is also very fierce and quick. Look for the offense to pull a trick play or two.
Friday night's game is sure to be a region 5-3A knock down drag out battle between two top notch teams.
Josh Taylor is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. You can call him at 693-1551, ext. 3234.