Rankin rivals Pelahatchie, Puckett set to do battle

Patrick

Pelahatchie coach Bill Ward has been around coaching in the small Rankin County town for the past 27 years.

According to Ward, it doesn't get any bigger than his team's series with Puckett, a long-time county rivalry that resumes Friday at 7:30 p.m.

"For some people around here, this is the only game they come to," said Ward, whose team is 0-1 after going 0-10 in 2005. "Pelahatchie has always wanted to beat Puckett and Puckett has always wanted to beat Pelahatchie. If we can slip up, play good and beat them, it could turn our year around."

Puckett, ranked No. 2 in Class 1A by The Clarion-Ledger, will be looking for its second straight win in the series that it leads 25-23-2.

It's the first game for Puckett, which was off last week.

"I'm sure (the open date) has some positives and some negatives," said third-year Puckett coach Jaris Patrick. "Everybody else has got one game under their belts. Hopefully, with it not being a district game, we can get our kinks out. All the kids know each other."

The series has gone back-and-forth recently after Pelahatchie won 10 straight between 1990 and 2001.

"Back in the 90's, we had all the talent," said Ward. "Now it has sorta flip-flopped and now they have talent and a ton of speed. You can't teach speed."

QB/DB Wilbert Lee, a C-L Top 125 senior, and junior WR Matthew Willis lead Puckett. Pelahatchie counters with senior RB Willie Mosley and OL/DL Selento Rhodes (also a C-L Top 125 senior) and OL/DL ChanceWhite.

"Pelahatchie is big and strong up front," said Patrick, in his third season. "They'll be tough to contend with. I can assure you that Bill Ward will have his tricks up his sleeve for us. We will have to play at our best."

BUSSEY UPDATE

Jackson Academy junior QB Anderson Bussey returned to school Monday after suffering an injury in the Raiders' 10-7 victory over MRA.

"It was a spinal cord injury," said JA coach Joey Hawkins. "He's walking around fine and is doing fine. He'll get evaluated (today). As far as him playing, we won't know anything until he's evaluated."

Sophomore Franklin Keyes replaces Bussey.

BLACKMON KEEPS IT GOING

St. Andrew's RB Bradford Blackmon scored two touchdowns in a 44-29 win over Yazoo County. Blackmon has 78 career touchdowns, tying him with Warren Central's Brian Darden (1992-94), Hancock's Terrance Goff (1987-91) and Ripley's Vashon Pearson (1998-2000). Weir's Dicenzo Miller holds the state record (118) set from 1994-97.

PATS

Six of the 12 first-year coaches in the Jackson metro area won in their debuts.

Flip Godfrey (St. Joseph), Bobby Hall (Madison Central),Steve Jones (Richland), Ron Jurney (Canton Academy), Todd McDaniel (Wingfield) and Paul Purvis (Hillcrest) are off to 1-0 starts.

- Rod Walker