Five things we learned in Week 3 of the high school football season:
1. Oak Grove is really good.
For the second week in a row, the Warriors toyed with a very good Class 5A team, Pearl River Central, winning by the same score of 45-14 by which they beat Wayne County the week before.
Quarterback Kirk McCarty is an early candidate for All-Area Player of the Year after completing 26 of 33 passes for 468 yards and four touchdowns against the Blue Devils, who have advanced to the South State finals in 5A the past two seasons.
This has the looks of the best team Nevil Barr has ever had at OG, and considering he’s twice taken the Warriors to Jackson, that’s saying something.
2. Collins’ days as a pushover are done.
Now in his second season as head coach, Ryan Earnest has restored the Tigers’ bite, with the help of talented quarterback Mark McLaurin, whom Earnest calls, “a special player.”
McLaurin threw three TD passes Friday night in a 46-0 whipping of Bay Springs, improving Collins to 2-1 with its second consecutive shutout.
The Tigers will test their mettle this week when Bassfield brings its 19-game winning streak to Jack Bailey Field.
3. Forrest County AHS needs for its defense to start growing up.
As was the case in their season opener against Bassfield, the Aggies let Stone march up and down the field before escaping with a 34-33.
Veteran head coach Larry Dolan knew coming into the season that he had to replace almost his entire defense from last season, so he expected some struggles early.
But with a tough Region 5-4A schedule looming that includes the likes of Greene County, Newton County and Quitman, he needs to see some improvement.
4. Players need to watch when they go to knock the football away from a ball-carrier.
A defensive player for Sumrall was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he was judged to have thrown a punch at a Purvis player.
He could have been ejected, but the officials agreed with his explanation that he was simply trying to punch the ball out of the runner’s grasp and missed, rather than having any malicious intent.
5. Lumberton might be the best winless team in the area.
The Panthers are 0-2, after dropping road games to a couple of pretty good Class 3A teams, West Marion and Perry Central.
Lumberton opens Region 4-1A play this week with its home opener against undefeated Resurrection, and it says here that the Panthers are still among the teams to beat in 1A.
