Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Nationally-ranked Wildcats open 2004 season Thursday against Itawamba
Defending state champions face formidable foe in Indians

     POPLARVILLE — Eleven NJCAA preseason All-Americans will hit the field Thursday when nationally-ranked Pearl River begins its defense of its first MACJC state football championship in over a quarter of a century Thursday when Itawamba’s Indians visit Dobie Holden Stadium both teams’ 2004 season opener.
     A 7 p.m. kickoff is set here in Dobie Holden Stadium.
     The Wildcats, who finished their stellar 2003 campaign ranked fourth in the final NJCAA poll, enter the opener with a No. 5 preseason ranking while boasting a record five preseason All-Americans, including 6-foot-5 first-team wide receiver pick Larry Brackins. Itawamba, on the other hand, sports six preseason All-American honorable mention selections.
     “We had a big season last year, but I feel we’re up for the task to do it all over again,” said third-year PRCC head coach Tim Hatten. “I feel we’ve got a faster and more-talented group of guys this go around, but in this league that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll wind up with more wins.
     “Itawamba’s going to be a good test for us,” he continued. “We’ll know a lot more after this first game. (Itawamba) Coach (Jeff) Terrill is a great football coach and 
seems to be getting things turned around up there. They’ve seen improvement both years he’s been up there and I expect them to be improved again.”
     Pearl River wrapped up 2003 at 10-1 with its only loss coming from the hands of Hinds. The Wildcats avenged the last-minute defeat by pounding the Eagles 21-17 for their 16th state title in Raymond in early November.
     Terrill, a former Hinds assistant, has gone 4-5 in the past two seasons he has 
been at ICC and has had the Indians on the brink of the playoffs both years. With preseason All-American quarterback Ken Topps returning to the line up, experience at the vital position won’t be a problem.
     “Topps is a very good football player,” Hatten said. “The agile, has speed and an excellent arm. He can make trouble for you.”
     Topps, a former star at Shannon High School, finished eighth in the league in passing last year with a 112.9-yard per game average; but was second in pass efficiency with a 133.4 rating. PRCC’s 2003 All-Stater Anthony Johnson topped the efficiency ranking with a 135.7 rating.
     The Indians’ will miss running back Don Rich in the backfield this season after he led the MACJC in rushing a year ago with a 117.9-yard per game average. Topps was ICC’s second-best runner, averaging 47.7 yards a game.
     Former East Marion standout Jimmy Oliver will get the starting nod at QB for the Wildcats after spending last season as a redshirt. He’ll be backed up by true 
freshman Tim Kulikowski of St. Stanislaus — a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder — who has 
been impressive with his arm strength.
     Kyle Sellers, a true freshman who copped MHSAA Class 5A “Offensive Player of the Year” honors last year after quarterbacking the Oak Grove Warriors to a South State title and No. 2 finish in Mississippi, has been hampered by tendinitis in his throwing arm throughout training camp which put him at the No. 3 position at quarterback.
     “Kyle situation was an unexpected one, but he’s such a great athlete we’re going to be playing him some at wide receiver,” Hatten said. “He’s a gamer that knows how to win. He’s proven that in high school and is going to see plenty of playing time.”
     Brackins led the league in receiving a year ago with a 70.1-yard per game average and is joined on the preseason All-American list with defensive end James Carter of Sandy Hook, linebacker Gene Coleman (team’s leading tackler) and running back Bernard Smith, both of Lake Wales, Fla.; and offensive lineman Brad Steube of Pass Christian who all honorable mention honors.
     Steube (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) is joined by fellow sophomores Matt Lott of Stone County and Wyatt Tatum of Richton — both 6-foot-5, 300 pounds — on the offensive front, while true freshmen Scotty Dunn of Picayune High (5-foot-11, 295 pounds) and Ryan Sefton of Harrison Central (6-foot-6, 290 pounds) will likely start Thursday.
     In the backfield, Smith is expected to have a blow-out season after backing up All-Stater Curtis Hayes a year ago; while true freshman Mike McClendon of Quitman has been extremely impressive in training camp. McClendon led all Mississippi Class 4A high schools in rushing last year.
     ICC’s Topps is joined by wide receiver Chris Coach, defensive back Melvin Ellis, punter Mike Gibson, linebacker Jerome Lyons, and offensive lineman Trey Powell.
Pearl River finished its regular season a year ago ranked third in the MACJC in total offense (367.7 yards a game), while Itawamba was fourth (328.9 yards a game).
     Lyons and Ellis anchor the ICC defense that struggled last season, finishing eighth in the league; while Carter and Coleman headline Pearl River’s which finished second in the state a year ago, giving up an average of 201.8 yards a game. The Widlcats were tops in rushing defense (58.3 yards per game) and fourth against the pass (143.7 yards per game).
     “We’ve got a lot of talent and speed, but a lot of that talent and speed has never taken a snap in junior college,” Hatten said. “That’s going to be the key to our 
success this year...if these new guys can step up and produce. I’m confident they 
will. I’m ready to get this thing started.”

Last Year’s Pearl River-Itawamba Game
     A year ago in Fulton, the Indians managed to cut Pearl River’s lead to seven at the half after trailing 14-0, but the Wildcats outscored their hosts 6-0 in the second half to take a 20-6 victory. PRCC’s win came on the coattail of what would wind up as its 
only defeat of the season — a 31-27 last-minute loss to Hinds. The victory also kicked off a string of seven straight wins that eventually led to the Wildcats’ state championship.

The PRCC-ICC rivalry...
     Saturday’s match up marks the 37th time the two schools have met on the gridiron in a rivalry that dates back to 1953. Pearl River leads the series with 21 wins compared to 12 losses. There has been one tie in the rivalry.
     The Wildcats won the first match up with the Indians 20-0 and went on to eventually share the state championship with Hinds. In 1963 — in one of PRCC’s 15 state championship seasons — the two teams battled to a 12-12 deadlock, marking the only blemish on PRCC’s record that season.
     Itawamba has won three state titles (1975, 1977, 1990), while Pearl River snapped a quarter of a century’s worth of drought last year by winning its 16th MACJC championship. PRCC last won the coveted championship in 1976 under then-head coach J.C. Arban.

This Week’s Games...
     Jones’ Saturday opener against Coahoma in Ellisville is the only weekend contest in the MACJC this week. The remaining games will be played Thursday, including Copiah-Lincoln at Holmes in Goodman, East Central at Northwest in Senatobia, Hinds at East Mississippi in Scooba, Mississippi Delta at Mississippi Gulf Coast in Perkinston, and Northeast at Southwest in Summit.