By Brad Greer

Although only separated by 22 miles, its three years since North Delta and Magnolia Heights have met on the football gridiron. All that will change tonight when the Green Wave takes the short trek up I-55 to Senatobia   to square off against the Chiefs to open the 2009 football season for both schools.

“The  kids are very excited to be playing  Magnolia Heights. They know a lot of the guys on the team. Some of their guys are from Oxford and we have a couple of players from over there also. This is a big game for us, especially moving up from class A to AA,“ said North Delta head coach Dan Werner.

North Delta is coming off an  impressive performance last week in the Marshall Academy jamboree where the Green Wave blanked Kirk 14-0 and Rossville (Tn.) 7-0. Junior wide receiver Bryan Nickle and senior Chris Reeves caught touchdown passes from quarterback Derick Shawn in the victory over the Raiders. Reeves also hauled in a six-yard touchdown pass from Shawn in the second game against Rossville.

The Green Wave defense came up with some big plays as well during the scrimmage as Nickle intercepted a pass while defensive lineman Will Reynolds fumble recovery on the Kirk six yard-line set up North Delta’s first touchdown.

Magnolia Heights meanwhile is coming off a 10-2 season that saw the Chiefs reach the Division II–AAA championship game where they lost  27-6 to Greenville Washington. The Chiefs will enter this season ranked No.5 in the Clarion- Ledger prep poll.

Werner said Magnolia Heights looks to be a smash mouth football squad on film. “They are a very   physical, very well-coached football team that runs to the ball on defense. They don’t do anything fancy on offense. They will   just pound you and they execute their plays.”

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.