By Angie Ledbetter

It will be the third road trip in the last three weeks for the South Panola Tigers tonight but only an hour north this time to take on the Memphis University Owls.

The Tigers (4-0) will be looking to hold on to their undefeated road trip record and are aware of history between them and the Owls.

Tonight  will be the fourth time  the teams have met. The first in 2009 was a close game with the Owls upsetting the Tigers 21-19. The Tigers   then went on an 89 game win streak  and controlled the entire game winning 39-2 in 2010. The last year they meet was 2011 and the Tigers won 19-7. Due to a scheduling conflict they did not play last year.

Coach Lance Pogue said, “We’ve played them three years prior to last year and they’re a team who is well coached in every phase of the game and doesn’t make many mistakes. They’re a good football team and good teams are going to play you tough.” 

Pogue said the stretch the Tigers are in is tough and they have one more big road game tonight.  

“We have great respect for MUS and our guys are aware of the challenge. We’ve done well to this point and hopefully we can continue. We have to stay hungry and keep getting better.”

The Owls are 2-2 overall and ranked No. 44 in Tennessee by Rivals. They opened their season with Brentwood Academy losing 37-17. The following week they beat Kingsbury 45-12 but lost to Pulaski Academy 37-19 on September 6. Last week they beat Liberty Tech Magnet 30-3.

The Tigers have averaged 280 rushing yards per game compared to the Owl’s 175. Darrell Henderson has averaged 158.5 for the Tigers and junior running back Darien Bradburn has 80.3 for the Owls. In passing Tiger Rip Kirk has averaged 122.3 yards and senior quarterback James Sexton has 80.3 for the Owls.

On defense MUS sophomore Tim Hart leads the way with 11.5 tackle. The Tigers’ Ryan Lee averages 5.8 tackle.  

On sacks the Tigers have averaged three per game over the Owl’s 2.8.

Pogue said the two teams that MUS has lost to are great programs.

“Those games are kind of misleading. They’re typical MUS with a really good football team and play a tough schedule like we do. I don’t put a lot of stock in that because they lost to two outstanding and historical programs.”

MUS has used different quarterbacks with Sexton and senior Blake Bennett.
Pogue said that’s not uncommon.

“I’m sure they’re going with whoever can give them a hot hand at that particular time. It tells me they feel good about all of their quarterbacks and we’ve just got to be ready for whoever is in there.”

“It’s been a mixture of both of them and they’re sharing a lot. They feel like each one has a little bit different strength so they’re trying to play at their strengths.”

Devin Parry a 6-3/182 senior wide receiver is being highly recruited and his dad played at Ole Miss. He’s had 16 receptions for 220 yards with three touchdowns.

“He’s a good player and their big play go to guy and a legitimate player no doubt.”
Drew Richmond a 6-6/316 junior offensive lineman is being highly recruited also.

“Richmond is a good player and a young kid just getting started. He’s played in some big games.”

The Tigers will face a familiar face across the field when the lights come on as Coach Johnny Jones is the defensive line coach for the Owls.

Jones is a 1994 graduate of South Panola and played on the first state championship team in 1993 as a linebacker.

Jones said, “It feels good to play South Panola and it’s actually a challenge to try and defeat a program that I helped start.”

His parents, brother, sister and entire family live in Courtland.

“They’ll all be at the game and it’ll be like one big family reunion,” said Jones adding, “But one thing for sure they’ll all be sitting on the Tiger’s side cheering. I can rub it in if we win, though.”
Jones’ nephew Javarius Taylor is a senior defensive back for the Tigers.

“I talk to him about it occasionally but not too much. It’s like alight we know we’ve got to play each other, I’ll see you on the field that day, give you a hug and when the game is over I’ll do the same regardless of how the game turns out.”

Jones said he does try to always motivate Taylor to be on top of his grades and things like that.

“Win or lose we’ll get some positive out of it and take it with us throughout our divisional play and hopefully a good playoff run,” said Jones. “Playing teams like South Panola allows us to get better.”
Pregame starts at 6 p.m. and kickoff is at 7 p.m. Comcast will be carrying the game live.

Tickets

South Panola High School is selling tickets today 8 to 3 p.m. for the game at MUS (Memphis University School). Ticket prices are $7.

Webcast
MUS will also be webcasting the game and the link will be available on their website homepage www.musowls.org Friday afternoon. The pregame show on WBLE100.5 FM starts at 6 p.m. and kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The games will be audio streamed on www.wble101.com and video streamed at www.sptigerden.com or through www.panolian.com and click on the South Panola Tiger Den live stream link in the top right corner.

Additional Game Parking
There will be additional parking for the home football game against South Panola Friday (7 p.m.) in the parking lot at the Primacy Building, 6077 Primacy Parkway. This is just across Primacy Parkway from McDonald’s; enter the first gate, closest to Ridgeway Road and MUS. Security will close that gate at 10 p.m., but drivers will be able to exit through the automated security gate (look for the yellow security arm) at the center entrance to the parking lot.