LAST FRIDAY

PREP 42 · JACKSON ACADEMY 21
State championship bound! The Patriots are headed to the title game after the semifinal win at Patriot Field. Official final.

THE GREAT

We’re playing for the state championship! This is the week the players, coaches and families have worked toward all season. Let’s celebrate this team and make the trip to Clinton special.

THE GOOD

A familiar opponent, a new stage. The Battle of Lakeland Drive becomes a championship matchup. Bring the energy, bring the family and be there for our Patriots.

NEED TO KNOW

• TODO: confirm championship-week practice and pep rally schedule
• Team calendar
• This is a neutral-site championship. Do not assume Prep home parking passes or usual tents apply in Clinton.
• MAIS ticket policy: season tickets / reserved seating do not apply in the playoff series; MAIS numbered passes are not honored. Listed eligible MAIS credential passes are honored.

DUTY BOX

• Thursday chicken biscuits: TODO: confirm championship-week plan
• Dads’ Luncheon: Friday 11:45 a.m. CT, River Hills. Coach Brewer is the speaker.
• Coaches’ meal: Jay will deliver the coaches’ meal on Sunday.

PHOTOS & NEWS

THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT

Hartfield Academy Hawks · Flowood
Hartfield enters 7–4 after beating top-seeded MRA 31–12 in Madison. Head coach: Craig Bowman. Prep won the regular-season meeting 31–19. Sources: MAIS bracket, Gridiron championship schedule, Scoreboard matchup recap.

ROSTERS

SCOUTING REPORT

FOR THE STANDS
Do not judge Hartfield only by its district record. The Hawks turned a regular-season loss to MRA into a decisive playoff win. The opening onside kick, a clean turnover sheet and third-down stops tell the story better than total yardage.

HOW HARTFIELD BEAT MRA — NOV. 6 SEMIFINAL
• Stole an early possession: Hartfield recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff, per WLBT sports director Nathan Lee.
• Built the lead before MRA scored: 14–0 after the opening period, 17–0 at halftime and 24–0 after the third. MRA’s 12 points all came in the final period.
• Won on the ground: Hartfield rushed for 211 yards to MRA’s 97, with 143 passing yards.
• Protected the ball and got off the field: no Hartfield turnovers versus two for MRA; the Hawks converted 5 of 12 third downs, MRA just 1 of 9.
• Yardage was not the deciding factor: MRA led total offense 390–354 and first downs 22–15, but Hartfield won 31–12. That points to possession value and situational execution rather than a simple yardage advantage.
Quarter scoring and team totals: XO Stats final graphics; final score cross-checked with MAIS. The onside kick is a special-teams recovery, not one of the two listed MRA turnovers.

TODO: semifinal individual scorers, run/pass leaders, turnover types and decisive scoring plays — awaiting verified game book / detailed recap
No individual production from an earlier game is being presented as the MRA semifinal performance.

PLAYERS & MATCHUP CONTEXT
QB Ethan Elliott is a run/pass threat. Against Prep in October, he ran 13 times for 63 yards and passed for 176 yards and two touchdowns, to Luke Wesson and Dylan Harris. Ethan Horne opened that game with a rushing touchdown. These are October matchup facts, not semifinal stats. Mississippi Scoreboard recap.

WHAT PREP CAN TAKE FROM THE FIRST MEETING
The defensive stop before halftime forced the punt that Herrin Goodman returned to set up a touchdown on the final play of the half. That swing helped Prep take control. Our scouting take: be alert on every kickoff, keep Elliott contained, protect possession and finish third downs. Those are priorities, not a claim about the coaches’ game plan. First-meeting report.

HARTFIELD SEASON AT A GLANCE
7–4 overall · regular-season district 0–3 · 323 points for / 251 against (29.4 / 22.8 per game). Totals calculated from the results below, not copied from a stale record widget.

Regular-season scores: MAIS power page (select 4A2), cross-checked against MaxPreps schedule. Semifinal: official MAIS bracket. MaxPreps still shows the pre-semifinal record and totals; the updated record and totals above include the MAIS-confirmed final. MAIS lists District 2; the MaxPreps district label differs.

ROAD TRIP

Destination: Robinson-Hale Stadium, Clinton
Plan your route west toward Clinton, check live traffic before leaving and allow extra time for stadium parking and entry. Use the stadium pin rather than a general campus destination. Bring a warm layer and coordinate carpools in advance.
Directions from Jackson Prep · Stadium map · Official stadium information
TODO: confirm parking entrances, Prep seating side and any tailgate location

PREDICTIONS

TODO: championship Massey projection — not yet verified
JAI: Championship pick coming after the scouting update. No invented score.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

SEMIFINALS
Hartfield 31, MRA 12
Prep 42, Jackson Academy 21
CHAMPIONSHIP
Jackson Prep vs Hartfield Academy
Official MAIS bracket · Championship schedule.

JayB

JP Football Dads · Please forward to family not on the list.

Past weeks, stats, and clips: gallery · in the news · Keith Head stats