Andy Williams once sang, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” and while the tune references the holiday-packed winter, in Mississippi, the song can be used to describe another season that takes precedence above all others — football.
The pageantry of Friday night lights is back again in a state where football reigns supreme over all other pastimes. Now, high school programs across Mississippi will enter a new campaign to be the top dog in their respective classifications.
Recapping last year and previewing the current campaign
Games have already kicked off this season at the Midsouth Association of Independent School (MAIS) level, the league consisting of the majority of Mississippi’s private high schools.
The following programs returned home MAIS state champions and will look to defend their crowns:
- 1A — Sharkey-Issaquena Academy
- 2A — DeSoto (Arkansas)
- 3A — Greenville St. Joseph
- 4A — Tri County Academy
- 5A — Adams County Christian School
- 6A — Hartfield Academy
This season is gearing up to be yet another thriller, especially at the highest MAIS classification. Hartfield, surrounded by a star-studded cast of Division I talent, does not plan to skip a beat after losing Reed Jesiolowski, Chris Jones, and others to the collegiate ranks. Madison-Ridgeland Academy will look to rebound this year after falling short of its championship expectations. Though the Patriots’ record-breaking signal-caller John White graduated and is now playing at Southern Miss, MRA frontman Herbert Davis intends to bring his team back to glory once again.
Jackson Prep may have lost the state championship game last year, but head coach Doug Godwin has big plans for his team — and revenge against the Hawks is on his mind. Tri-County, after an impressive shutout opener against Simpson Academy in its first contest, will look to further its standing as an emerging powerhouse capable of taking on some of the juggernauts in the MAIS.
As for the public schools and handful of private schools competing in the Mississippi High School Activities Association, most regular season action will begin action this Friday night.
Last season’s MHSAA titleholders included:
- 1A — Biggersville
- 2A — Charleston
- 3A — Winona
- 4A — Louisville
- 5A — West Point
- 6A — West Jones
- 7A — Starkville
With a new year comes a new opportunity, particularly for teams like Brandon, Tupelo, and Madison Central who were on the precipice of achieving the ultimate goal of earning a title at the highest classification last season.
Will Louisville continue its dominance as not only the best 4A squad in the state but also as one of Mississippi’s top programs? How will West Point fare without legendary head coach Chris Chambliss on the sideline? Time will tell soon.
Can West Jones’ dominant defense continue to terrorize opposing offenses with standout defensive end Isaiah “Lunchmeat” Lindsey? We will know this and more when the season soon gets underway.
How to tune into high school football in Mississippi
Nothing beats the ambiance of a high school football game in Mississippi. So if you get the chance to attend a game in person — go. But if you’re unable to make it out underneath the Friday night lights for whatever reason, there are a multitude of options for those looking to dial into the action.
For starters, many schools have their own live streams. All you have to do is go to the athletics page of that high school’s website. If the program has live streaming, whether video or audio, then it will be accessible through the website.
Additionally, SuperTalk Mississippi Media hosts a litany of live games on radio stations across the Magnolia State. The following teams can be heard each time they face off on the gridiron on their respective radio stations.
Pine Belt
- WFMM (97.3 FM) — Petal High School
- WLAU (99.3 FM) —Jones County Game of the Week
Jackson
- WFMN (97.3 FM) — Madison Central High School
Golden Triangle
- WKBB (100.9 FM) — Starkville High School
- WLZA (96.1 FM) — Starkville Academy
Corinth
- WXRZ (94.3 FM) — Corinth High School
Southwest Mississippi
- WMPK (93.5 FM) — North Pike High School
- WDXO (92.9 FM) — Loyd Star High School
Delta
- WTCD (96.9 FM) — Indianola Academy
- WYMX (99.1 FM) — Pillow Academy
North Mississippi
- WQLJ (105.5 FM) — Water Valley
- WTNM (93.7 FM) — Magnolia Heights
Tupelo
- WFTA (101.9 FM) — Tupelo Christian Prep
Gulf Coast
- WOSM (103.1 FM) — Ocean Springs High School
- WGBL (96.7) — Gulfport High School
Meridian
- WZKR (103.3 FM) — Clarkdale High School
Miss a game? No worries! Beginning Friday, Aug. 30, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance Company Scoreboard Show will air live across all SuperTalk Mississippi radio stations and streaming platforms from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The hosts will give score updates from contests statewide while getting an in-depth report of the action from coaches, play-by-play announcers, and even players from programs across Mississippi.
