POPLARVILLE — About two months ago, four-time MACJC state champion Pearl River entered its 2007 football season ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA’s preseason poll for the third straight year. But a lot has transpired between then and now. The Wildcats dropped three games over the last eight weeks and were officially eliminated from post-season playoff contention two weeks ago for the first time in five years when fourth-ranked and then-undefeated Jones County handed them a 33-28 Homecoming loss.

Last week, Southwest Mississippi poured salt on The River’s wounds with a 24-17 division victory in Summit, marking the first time the Bears had defeated the Wildcats since 1999. In a year that began with great expectations, all PRCC has to play for is pride here this Thursday when its hosts South Division rival Hinds two wrap up its season in Dobie Holden Stadium. Both squads sport identical 5-3 overall and 2-3 division marks.

“This season has definitely been a wild one, for sure,” said sixth-year Wildcat head coach Tim Hatten, who boasts a 52-10 record since arriving on the Pearl River campus in 2002. “But we’ve got the opportunity to end the year on a positive note. Hinds hasn’t beat us for three straight years and I assure you they’ll be coming in here ready to play.” Hinds (5-3, 2-3) enters the game off a 20-17 Homecoming win over East Central in Raymond. The outcome of its PRCC battle will determine third place in the South Division. Hatten says the Eagles are a dangerous opponent.

“I can assure you they’re gunning for us. But we’ve got to take care of our own business and we’ll be fine,” he said. The Eagles opened the year with three straight victories — 21-15 over Coahoma, 34-3 over Holmes, and 14-13 over Northeast Mississippi — before being bombed by Mississippi Gulf Coast 60-0 at home to open their division schedule. The following week, Jones County dropped Hinds to 0-2 in the league with a 56-41 smacking in Ellisville, but the Eagles rebounded with a 37-0 home shutout over Copiah-Lincoln in week six.  Southwest stunned their likes the following week with a 21-17 upset win, setting the stage for the Eagles’ victory over ECCC.

Hinds dominated the Mississippi Juco league back in the 1990s, winning four straight MACJC titles from 1994 until 1997, then copping a fifth in 2000 for its 13th in school history. Pearl River, on the other hand, has won four straight state championships — two over the Eagles in the 2003 and 2004, one over Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005, and last year’s over Copiah-Lincoln — bringing its total to an unprecedented 19. The Eagles have won or shared 13 state titles.

 

The Pearl River-Hinds Series

The Wildcats lead the Eagle rivalry is with 34 wins and 31 losses with Pearl River winning the last five match ups, including a 21-13 victory for the 2004 state title, 2005's 48-26 blowout in Poplarville that marked a record 21 straight wins, and last year’s 36-7 pasting in Raymond.
PRCC trimmed Hinds 37-30 on the road in 2004’s regular-season battle, marking the first of only two losses for the Eagles that year. In 2003, the Wildcats bopped the Eagles 21-17 for its first MACJC title since 1976, but fell 31-27 in their regular-season battle on a controversial, last-minute 90-plus-yard kick off return in Poplarville.

Pearl River took a 25-22 OT victory in 2001, marking the first time the Wildcats had beaten the Eagles since the 1992 season (a 21-16 win). PRCC followed with a 31-22 victory in Raymond in 2002. Prior 2001's OT thriller, Hinds had reeled off eight straight wins over The River, while grabbing five of its 13 state championships. The Eagles have won six state titles in the last 14 seasons. Pearl River took a 53-0 victory in the inaugural meeting, then the series didn’t resume until 1941 with Hinds taking an 18-0 shutout, followed by a 30-18 victory in shortened 1942 season due to World War II.

Junior college football all over the state resumed in 1944 and the Eagles reeled off six straight wins over PRCC before the Wildcats answered with a lopsided 27-6 victory in 1950 in coach legend Dobie Holden’s fifth season in Poplarville. The two teams split the ensuing two years, then, in 1953, the rivalry saw its first of two ties (14-14) in the series. The Wildcats and Eagles finished that season as co-champions in the MACJC.

After Hinds took a hard-fought 35-32 win in 1957, the Wildcats won four straight, including a 42-0 shutout in 1959 and a 44-6 lopside in 1961. Pearl River took state titles both of those seasons, including its only national championship in 1961.
Holden retired following the 1966 season, giving up the reins to assistant John Russell who was perfect against the Eagles in his seven years at the Wildcat helm. Hinds scored only 63 points in seven games against Russell’s squads. Russell resigned prior to the 1974 season and assistant coach Harvey Seligman was elevated to head coach. Seligman’s unit fell 17-13 to Hinds.

J.C. Arban took over the Wildcat program in 1975 and the former PRCC and Southern Mississippi offensive coordinator won five straight over the Eagles until Hinds took a 28-5 victory in 1980. In all, Arban was 7-4 against Hinds, but his last three losses — all in succession — were by a combined total of only 14 points. Mike Nelson succeeded Arban in 1986 and was 1-2-1 versus the Eagles until his departure in 1989, while Willie Coats was 2-3 from 1990 to 1994. The late Keith Daniels was winless at 0-6 from 1995 until midway into the 2000 season when he died of a brain hemorrhage five weeks into the 2000 season. Scott Maxfield pulled off the 2001 overtime victory in his only season at the Wildcat helm.

 

Last Week In The MACJC

Last week in the North in the MACJC, Itawamba (7-1, 5-0) clinched division crown with a convincing 21-6 victory over Northwest Mississippi (5-3, 4-1) in Senatobia, Mississippi Delta (3-5, 2-3) trimmed winless Holmes (0-8, 0-5) in Goodman, and Northeast Mississippi 2-6, 2-4) smacked Coahoma (2-6, 2-4) in Clarksdale. In the South, third-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast (8-0, 5-0) clinched the division title with a 20-14 win over fourth-ranked Jones County (7-1, 4-1) in Ellisville. In last week’s only intra-divisional match up, Copiah-Lincoln (3-5, 2-3) dropped East Mississippi (3-5, 3-2) 27-17 in Wesson.

 

This Week’s MACJC Regular-Season Finales

The MACJC wraps up its regular season this Thursday. In the North, division champ Itawamba hosts East Mississippi in Fulton, Northeast Mississippi hosts Holmes in Booneville, and Mississippi Delta hosts division runner-up Northwest Mississippi in Moorhead. In the South, division champ Mississippi Gulf Coast hosts Southwest Mississippi in Perkinston and Copiah-Lincoln hosts division runner-up Jones County in Wesson. East Central hosts Coahoma in Decatur in the only intra-divisional game.

 

Lineups Set For MACJC Playoffs

Nov. 3's (Saturday) first-round of the MACJC playoffs will see Northwest Mississippi at Mississippi Gulf Coast in Perkinston and Jones County at Itawamba in Fulton. The winners of those two games will play for the state championship Nov. 10. (Saturday). If a North Division representative wins its first-round game, the title bout will be played at either NWCC in Senatobia or ICC in Fulton. If the South representatives win their first-round contests, the title game will be played at division champ MGCCC in Perkinston.

 

Wildcats Over The Airwaves

All Pearl River games are broadcast live on WMXI-FM (98.1) in Hattiesburg, WFFF-FM (96.7) in Columbia, WBOX-FM (92.9) and WBOX-AM (920) in Bogalusa, La.; and WRJW-AM (1320) in Picayune. Long-time play-by-play announcer Jason Baker, color commentator Clay Sweet, and sideline reporter Barry Harper will handle the broadcast. Airtime for Thursday’s PRCC-Hinds broadcast is 6:30 p.m. You may also listen to the Wildcats over the internet by logging on to www.prcc.edu. Click on the icon at the bottom left of the screen, and follow the instructions.