It seems just like yesterday that the LHSAA season opened but already it is week five, where JHHS will travel to Pineville in the last of the Tigers pre-district schedule. The contest brings a unique irony in that the Rebels will be the second district 2-5A school JHHS has on their schedule while the Tigers are the second district 3-2A school on Pineville’s slate.
That is where the similarities end.
JHHS comes into the contest at 2-2 on the year and riding high after posting their first shutout in a little over two years and scoring as much in one game as Pineville has all season. Meanwhile Pineville is in the throes of a three game losing streak after shocking Winnfield in the season opener.
Series History: The all time series between the two is tied at 8-8 with JHHS winning 25-7 in the first game played and again by a 20-10 score last year. From 1955-62 the two squads played every year with both winning four times each. Pineville won four straight from 1973-76 when both schools were in district 3-3A but since the Tigers have had the upper hand winning the last three.
Keys to victory!
Can Tigers take advantage of distractions? This is Homecoming week for Pineville and every coach will tell you that the hardest game to keep players focused. A quick start by the Tigers could easily cause a lack of focus by Pineville.
Which Tiger defense will show? Over the first three games, JHHS gave up a school record 128 points. Against Lincoln Prep they fired a shutout and allowed only 54 total yards in offense.
Can Tigers overcome Pineville depth? JHHS will dress out around 30 players with at least five going both ways. Pineville will have close to 80 players on the sideline including eight that weighs over 280 lbs and twenty that top 200 lbs. or better. The Tigers will have to dig deep to withstand the constant influx of fresh players.
Prediction:
JHHS is trending in the right direction. Even with leading rusher Chance Leonard sidelined with a bad knee the Tiger offense is showing signs of becoming formidable and the defense seems to be gelling. Has the makings of a real barnburner that most likely will go down to the wire. JHHS 26 Pineville 24
