Veteran sportswriter and high school football expert Robert Wilson is doing the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard predictions column each week during the high school football season on teams from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin County. Wilson had a 22-6 record (78.6 percent) last week and has an 194-42 record (82.2 percent) this season. 

Madison-Ridgeland Academy (8-1) at Jackson Prep (9-0), Friday 7 p.m.
(watch and listen at mrapats.live and jacksonprep.live).

       MRA coach Herbert Davis wasn’t a happy camper the last time these two teams met.

       Davis had been to the state championship game every year except one since he had arrived at MRA in 2014 and had won the title three straight seasons (2019-2021), but Prep denied Davis of his seventh career state championship with a 28-25 victory in the semifinals at MRA in Madison.

       Prep quarterback Billy Puckett made some clutch plays, running for 157 yards and two touchdowns and passing for 106 more. 

Prep gained revenge on a 50-44 overtime loss to MRA in the regular season at MRA when MRA scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game and send it to overtime.

        Puckett’s biggest clutch play in the semifinals came with the game in the balance and MRA leading 25-21 with 5 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Prep had fourth and 2 from the MRA 10 and Prep needed a TD to take the lead. Puckett faked a handoff and took off through the middle of the MRA defense and ran for the TD.

Prep’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and led the way for 299 rushing yards and protected Puckett on passing plays. Puckett completed 14 of 21 passes for his 106 yards and wasn’t sacked. Running back Cole Gideon had 11 carries for 107 yards and two TDs.

MRA’s defense is better this year. There’s linebacker Jackson Toler – nephew of former Prep, Ole Miss All-SEC and NFL wide receiver Ken Toler – who has had a great season. Toler had 21 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble in last week’s 24-14 conference win over Jackson Academy. He has a team-high 87 tackles this season. Not only did Toler had a big game against JA, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior had 18 tackles against Arkansas powerhouse Pulaski Academy, which gave MRA its only loss this season. Those types of tackle numbers remind MRA football fans of former MRA and current Mississippi State linebacker Stone Blanton (fifth in the SEC in tackles this season) when he was in high school and who is considered one of the best linebackers in MAIS history.

Senior defensive back Matthew Perkins in back this year after missing much of the season with a broken leg. And then there’s two key transfers in senior defensive backs AJ Parker (from JA) and Arkansas State commitment DJ Watkins (who played at JA last season and transferred to MRA from Madison Central after going there this spring). Getting Perkins back and the addition of Parker and Watkins have greatly improved MRA’s secondary.

In addition, 6-3, 215-pound junior defensive end Cade Gentry and junior safety Jack Ridgway have had impressive seasons.

MRA has plenty of weapons on offense. Junior Samuel Stockett has had an outstanding season, replacing John White, now a freshman at Southern Miss and Mississippi’s all-time leader in career passing yards.

MRA’s group of wide receivers is one of the best in Mississippi, led by juniors Case Thomas – son of former Clinton High and Alabama kicker Case Thomas – and Will Bizot – son of Mississippi College athletic director Kenny Bizot – and senior Jack Polles. And watch out for junior Will Jones – grandson of former MC athletic director and men’s basketball coach and Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer Mike Jones – who had six catches for 139 yards and set up several scores in the big win over defending MAIS Class 6A state champion Hartfield Academy.

MRA’s offensive front, led by 6-2, 260-pound senior Sebastian Griffin and 6-2, 280-pound sophomore Caleb Unger (who already has eight Division I offers), has done a great job blocking this season.

Prep is coming off an emotional, 51-45 victory over Hartfield where the Patriots came in focused and determined, and played its best game of the season to gain revenge from last year’s 21-0 loss to Hartfield in the 6A state championship game, the first time Prep had been shutout since 2004.

Puckett, who has been solid all season, passed for 201 yards and one TD and ran for two more as the Patriots scored the most points against Hartfield since MRA scored 56 in a 63-56 loss last season. Puckett has incredible accuracy on his passes, makes superb decisions and has the ability to get first downs with great instincts and good speed running the ball. Some college is going to get a great player next season.

Prep senior wide receiver-defensive back-kick returner and Air Force Academy commitment Major Quin – a 5-10, 190-pound who plays the game with as much endurance as the energizer bunny – once again made big play after big play. His biggest was a 25-yard TD catch and run to give Prep a 45-45 tie with 2 minutes, 54 seconds to play. Quin, who hardly ever comes off the field, is fun to watch.

Prep senior linebacker-short yardage running back Tre Bryant – who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury – has been impressive this season. The Arizona State baseball commitment – son of former Atlanta Falcons longtime kicker Matt Bryant – could definitely play college football, too. He is a difference maker.

Prep’s offensive front is tough to handle. The Patriots’ 6-8, 315-pound senior tackle and Baylor commitment Matthew Parker and 6-6, 315-pound senior tackle Duke commitment Cole Allen key the front, which not only creates wide running lanes, but also keeps Puckett clean in passing situations. 

The two head coaches – MRA’s Hubert Davis and Prep’s Doug Goodwin – are two of the best in Mississippi.

MRA coach Herbert Davis – a Brookhaven Academy, Co-Lin CC, and Mississippi College (bachelor’s degree) and Delta State (master’s degree) graduate – has won 245 career games with go along with six state championships (three at MRA, two at Brookhaven Academy and one at Pillow Academy) in his 28th season as a head coach. He is the only football coach in Mississippi history to take five schools (MRA, Brookhaven Academy, Pillow Academy, Heritage Academy and Winston Academy) to state championship games. Davis has won 111 games in 11 seasons at MRA.

Goodwin has won 265 games in his 30-year coaching career, 234 of those in 27 years in Alabama where he is member of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame. Goodwin became the first coach in Alabama history to take three different teams to a state championship game. He has a 31-5 record in his three seasons at Prep. 

These are two of the best teams in Mississippi – Prep is ranked No. 3 and MRA No. 6 in the state by Maxpreps – and could play with any team in the state. Just a reminder, MRA defeated defending MHSAA Class 7A state champion Oak Grove 51-13 and Prep defeated MHSAA Class 6A state champion West Jones 42-7. There will be loads of Division I talent on the field Friday.

This game is a tossup. Both teams have to play well to win this one. MRA wins late in the fourth quarter, or possibly in overtime.

MRA 42, Jackson Prep 41.

In other games (winners in bold):

Vicksburg (0-7) at Callaway (3-5),Thursday, Hughes Field

Canton (5-2) at Greenville (1-6)

Clinton (4-3) at Tupelo (8-0)

Germantown (5-3) at Madison Central (5-2)

Humphreys County (8-0) at Jim Hill (1-7), Hughes Field

Lanier (7-1) at Murrah (7-1), South Jackson Field

Natchez (5-3) at Florence (4-3)

Northwest Rankin (5-2) at Oak Grove (4-3)

Pearl (2-5) at Brandon (6-1)

Pelahatchie (2-6) at Puckett (4-4)

Pisgah (7-1) at McLaurin (2-6)

Provine (1-7) at North Pike (1-6)

Richland (1-7) at Raymond (2-4)

Ridgeland (4-3) at Columbus (2-5)

St. Andrew’s (5-3) at Raleigh (7-1)

Velma Jackson (6-1) at French Camp (0-8)

Canton Academy (5-4) at Indianola Academy (3-6)

Central Hinds Academy (5-4) at Clinton Christian (2-7)

Jackson Academy (7-2) at Presbyterian Christian (4-4)

Lamar School (5-4) at East Rankin Academy (2-7)

Madison St. Joseph (2-5) at Hartfield Academy (7-2)

North Sunflower Aca. (1-8) at Hillcrest Christian (2-7)

Park Place Christian (4-5) at Newton County Aca. (7-2)

Tri-County Academy (9-0) at Greenville Christian (4-4)

Union Christian, La. (2-7) at Discovery Christian (2-7)