photo by Hannah Reel

Cathedral’s Daniel Huffines gainst yards during the game against Dexter Friday night. The Green Wave can clinch a playoff spot with either a win over Salem or a loss by St. Aloysius against Sebastopol Friday night.

Cathedral, Natchez can clinch playoff spots

By Patrick Jones | The Natchez Democrat

Published Monday, November 2, 2009

NATCHEZ — The Cathedral Green Wave’s unbelievable late-season push toward the postseason continued Friday night with a 21-0 win at home over a good Dexter team.

Now Cathedral can clinch a spot in the MHSAA Class A South State Playoffs with a win at Salem in the final Region 4-1A game of the season.

“We were able to take care of the football with the weather conditions and we were able to take advantage of Dexter’s turnovers,” Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley said. “Our defense has been the one constant all year. As of late our offense has come around also.”

If we win, we’ll be in third place. If we lose, we still have a good chance to get in the playoffs, but there are a lot of scenarios. If we lose and St. Al loses, we’re still in the playoffs because St. Al plays Sebastopol Friday night. We’re going to have to go in that game with the mindset that we have to win.”

The one thing that will help Cathedral is that Salem’s game against Bogue Chitto was postponed from last Friday night to today.

“That gives them a short week to prepare so hopefully that gives us an advantage,” Beesley said.

A victory over the Wildcats would put the Green Wave with a 4-3 record in region play — something many people didn’t think was possible earlier in the season.

“We were sitting a 1-6 after the loss to St. Aloysius. It did not look good for us,” Beesley said. “But things have turned around for us the last three weeks. The kids are continuing to work hard.”

Another local team that needs a win to get in the playoffs is Natchez High. Even though the Bulldogs sit at 7-3 overall and 4-2 in Region 3-6A, they need a win at Hattiesburg to clinch a postseason spot.

If Natchez High wins, it would probably end up with the No. 2 seed and the Bulldogs would host a playoff game the following Friday night. The last time that happened was in 1997. However, if the Tigers win one week after a stunning loss to Terry, then the Bulldogs could miss the playoffs altogether.

Even though the Bulldogs had to wait until Saturday afternoon to take on Wingfield and take a resounding 66-34 win over the Falcons, head coach Lance Reed said the team was still able to lift weights and watch film after the game.

“It’s not necessarily a short week for us. Our weekly schedule won’t change that much. They did what they were supposed to do,” Reed said. “We executed in some areas, but we didn’t execute in other areas.

“The first team executed quite well. Joel Davis eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark running the ball. Santorius Pollard made some great catches and Javon Washington made some good throws.”

Reed added that there is a scenario now that depends on something else, mainly the outcome of the Brandon-Oak Grove game, that would have to happen if the Bulldogs lose to Hattiesburg. But he said the Bulldogs will be focusing all week on Hattiesburg.

“They’re a quality team. They have good talent. They have good coaches,” Reed said. “They’re tough to beat at home. It will be a great challenge for us.”

One local team that knows it is in the playoffs is Trinity Episcopal. The District 6-A champion Saints will host District 7-A runner-up Riverdale Academy in the first round of the MAIS Class A South State Playoffs Friday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The Saints will take a two-game winning streak and an 8-3 overall record into this game against the Rebels.

Centreville begins its defense of the Class AA State championship Friday night when the District 5-AA champion Tigers the host District 6-AA runner-up Glenbrook Apaches. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Another team that still controls its own destiny is Ferriday. The Trojans are coming off a hard-fought 14-0 win on the road at Sterlington to improve to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in district play.

But now comes the real test this Friday night – a Farmerville team that is ranked in the top 10 in Class 2A with the District 2-2A championship on the line. And despite the win over the Panthers last Friday night, Ferriday head coach Freddie Harrison said he would like to see a complete game from the offense if the Trojans have a chance to upset the Farmers.

“We’ve got to get better as a total offensive unit. We don’t play hard. We’re regressing instead of progressing. It’s sad to see that,” Harrison said. “Some of the players are saving themselves. They’re not giving 100 percent.”

Farmerville is coming off an impressive 47-14 win over Lake Providence. The Farmers are 8-1 overall and 4-0 in district play.

“They 100 percent physical. They come to play football. There’s no finesse. You know what they’re doing,” Harrison said. “Defensively, they fly to the football. That’s basically what it’s going to boil down to is the battle in the trenches. Whoever wins that battle will win the ball game. There’s no if, ands, or buts about it.

“We’re going to have to win up front. They’re going to run the football. If we don’t stop the run, it’s going to be a long game. If we don’t run the football, it’s going to be an even longer game.”

Franklin County hosts Velma Jackson in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A South State Playoffs. The Bulldogs (8-3) got three safeties by their defense in a 14-0 win over Jefferson County to finish 4-1 in Region 7-3A and clinch the region’s No. 2 seed. Velma Jackson is the No. 3 seed from Region 7-3A.

Jefferson County (4-6) will hit the road as the No. 3 seed out of Region 7-3A to take on Morton, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-3A, in a first-round game. Kickoff for both games is 7 p.m.