By By Dale McKee / EMG sports writer
Oct. 28, 2002
The Heidelberg Academy Rebels and the Wayne Academy Jaguars will open MPSA playoffs Friday night at 7 with both teams hosting in the opening round.
The Rebels ended the regular season at 9-1 and will play host to Central Holmes (8-2) of Lexington. Wayne ended its regular at 6-3 and will host Mississippi Christian School of Arkansas.
Central Holmes is an impressive team. The Trojans and HA have never met before on the football field, but Heidelberg head coach Tom Lewis says they have a talented team .
Last season Mississippi Christian School of Arkansas shocked the Rebels in the opening round of the playoffs. "That should be motivation enough, but Central Holmes is a better team than that team," said Lewis.
Wayne head coach Johnny Walker says that MCS is a worthy opponent. " What I see on film is a very impressive team," said Walker." They like to spread the field on offense, and they throw the football."
Heidelberg Academy blasted East Rankin 48-6 to its regular season.
Junior quarterback Brooks Lewis passed for four scores to lead a balanced offense. "We have really worked on being a balanced offense," said Lewis. "We had a lot of inexperience on that side of the ball, and they have really come along as the year unfolded. On defense we felt we would be strong because we have a lot of speed on that side of the ball," related Lewis.
Brooks Lewis hit Blake Bass twice and then tossed TD strikes to Jeremy Eason and Dusty Bass against East Rankin. Blake Bass scored his third touchdown of the night on a 60-yard interception return plus brother
Dusty Bass scooted 30 yards for his second score. Mason Key added all six conversions.
The WA Jags had to win last week just to make the playoffs, and they did a remarkable job blanking Kemper 47-0. "We wanted to get ahead early and control the game," said Walker. Wayne did that with a 14
point first period, and just to make matters safe they added three touchdowns in the second quarter.
Patton Stanley led the Jaguars with three touchdowns while B.J. Pitts, Brandon McDonald, Matt Brown, and Garet James added TDs.