By Angie Ledbetter

After a see saw game with Southaven last week, the South Panola Tigers take to the road tonight to Grenada hoping to remain in the driver’s seat of 1-6A.

There is a lot at stake tonight in district action but the Tigers (7-2 overall, 5-0) just need to take care of business over the Chargers (4-5, 2-3) to remain undefeated in district action.

If the Tigers win and Olive Branch (4-1) defeats Columbus (3-2) on the road tonight, the Tigers will retain a one game lead over Olive Branch going into the last game of the regular season. A Columbus win would clinch the division for the Tigers upon a victory tonight.

Grenada enters the game tonight in sixth place with a 4-5 overall record but tied with Desoto Central in the division with a 2-3 record.

They have outscored opponents 212-160 in nine games averaging 23.6 points per game. The Chargers have averaged 134 passing yards, 157.8 rushing yards, 58 tackles and 1.2 sacks per game.

A huge problem Grenada has had the last four games is turnovers, 14 overall, which includes seven in Tupelo game, one in Horn Lake, three in Southaven and three in Olive Branch.

The Tigers enter the game averaging 26.9 points per game, 134 passing yards, 169.8 rushing, 40.9 tackles and .9 sacks.

“Grenada has got some great athletes,” said Coach Jamie Easley. “Coach Ashley Kuhn is doing a heck of a job with the program and they’re just trying to figure out how to win games and find a way to win them.

“They’re not by any means the old Grenada pushover that everybody has been used to,” Easley added. “They’re athletic and a lot better coached now than in the past. We’ve got to contain them.”

The Chargers will be under the field direction of three year starting signal caller Payne Horan. The 6’2”, 196-pound senior has completed 66 of 134 passes for 886 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He has rushed for 332 yards on 73 carries and three touchdowns.

Easley said Horan is a very good player, tough and knows what to do.

“He can throw the ball, run it and go in so many different formations,” he said. “They’ll go four or five wide and then tighten it in and go with the tightend. Their main deal is spreading it out and they run the option out of the pistol.”

Another standout player for Grenada is senior wide receiver/defensive back Trey Bledsoe, 6’3”, 165 pounds, who has verbally committed to Ole Miss.

Bledsoe has recorded 15 receptions for 227 yards with two touchdowns. On defense, he has had two interceptions and one pass deflection.

Junior wide receiver Tyrin Jones has 24 receptions for 254 yards with two touchdowns and running back Devin Howard has 155 carries with 588 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“Grenada throws the ball a lot and gets him out there,” said Easley. “He’s bigger than anybody we’ve got.”

Tiger offensive coordinator coach Trey Dickerson said, “Grenada has two linebackers on defense that are very good—as good as any that we’ve played.”

Junior Gerard Avery has accounted for 70 tackles and junior Shareef White has 78.

Tiger’s Dashawn Lindsay was named MaxPreps’ overall player of the Southaven game.

Kickoff is 7 at Grenada tonight. All fans are asked to wear pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.