By Myra Bean

Tonight’s game between South Pontotoc and North Panola may come down to who’s the most determined to get a win.

South Pontotoc is the setting for the battle between the two winless teams tonight at 7:30 p.m.

South Pontotoc (0-4) has the edge. They have scored 93 points this season while North Panola (0-3) has scored none.

Second year coach Roger Chism has his work cut out for him as the South Pontotoc Cougar team went 4-8 under his leadership last year.

The make up of that team is close to the make up of the North Panola team. South Pontotoc has twice as many freshmen as it has juniors and seniors combined. The team is made of nine seniors, nine juniors, 17 sophomores and 20 freshmen.

The two quarterbacks have almost the same stats. Junior quarterback Alex Pannell has completed five of 13 passes for 49 yards this year and is the second leading rusher on the team with 167 yards on 39 carries and two touchdowns.

Sophomore quarterback Trent Priest has completed seven of 17 passes for 31 yards and rushed for 13 yards on seven carries.

Junior running back Keith Flowers leads the team in rushing yards with 213 on 37 carries and one touchdown.

North Panola head coach Robert Hunter confirmed that South Pontotoc has been in a rebuilding stage the last two years. He said the Cougar team is where South Pontotoc was last year.

“They do not have the athletes that Desoto Central has,” Hunter said. “The offense is better. I feel pretty good about our team.”

Directions to South Pontotoc: Take Highway 6/278 West. Turn right off 6 at Roger’s Furniture Store in Pontotoc. At the 4-way stop, take right towards Bruce on Highway 9. Go about four or five miles and there is a big green sign that says South Pontotoc High School. Come to South Pontotoc Road and take a left at the South Pontotoc Corner Grocery Store. Stadium is on the left two miles down.