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SPORTS INFORMATION SEPT. 8, 2009 Northwest hosts in MACJC non-division battle of nationally-ranked unbeatens POPLARVILLE — Fifth-ranked Pearl River takes on a talented 15th-ranked The visting Wildcats, 2-0, enter the game off a pair of lopsided victories — 45-7 over Holmes in their season opener and a 42-23 decision over Eighth-year Wildcat head coach Tim Hatten says the Rangers are a typical Northwest football team. “A lot of talent and a lot of speed...that pretty much sizes them up,” he said. “They are, by far, the best we’ve faced so far and it’s going to be a good test for the Wildcats on both sides of the ball. “The sling it around pretty good.” Thursday’s battle will see an aerial circus, as Northwest quarterback Casey Weston of Another national first-second national scenario is in individual total offense with Jones leading the way with 706 yards (353 per game) to Weston’s 682 (341 per game). On the receiving end, Pearl River’s Desmond Ratliff of Wildcat sophomore running back Rashod Henry of Lumberton High enters the game off a 195-yard (15 carries), three-TD performance against NEMCC last week and has a second-best 293 yards (146.5 yards per game) in the league — No. 5 in nation — and a total of four scores, which leads the state. JoJo Cox leads the Rangers rushing attack with 141 yards (70.5 per game). On the defensive side, Northwest is fourth in the MACJC in total defense to Northwest boasts the state’s top secondary allowing only 13 completions on 32 attempts (four interceptions) for 104 yards (52 per game), while “We’re suppose to have this surplus of super-talented defensive backs, so we’ll see just how good they really are come Thursday night,” Hatten said. “Weston’s a great player that can really move around and sling it. It’ll be a challenge for our guys.” The Rangers is tied with The Pearl River-Northwest Rivalry The series didn’t resume until nine years later when PRCC won 14-6, kicking off a string of nine straight victories over a 20-year span before the Rangers won its first battle with the Wildcats via a 21-7 margin in 1966. NWCC also won 27-20 the following season, but PRCC answered with a 20-0 shutout in 1968 and won six straight before the Rangers dropped the Wildcats 24-20 to open the 1976 season in Poplarville. The two teams drew a rematch for the state championship that season with The last time the two teams met was week three of last season when the Wildcats took an 18-0 home win. PRCC finished the night with 315 yards of total offense to Northwest’s 241 with Weston completing 18 of 40 throws (three interceptions) for 159 yards. In 2006's first-round post-season playoffs, PRCC took a 31-21 victory in Senatobia, propelling the Wildcats into the MACJC title bout where it nipped Copiah-Lincoln 21-20 in Wesson for its unprecedented 19th state championship. Pearl River, which has won national titles in 1961 and 2004, went on to play for the NJCAA championship that season in the Pilgrim’s Pride Bowl in Mt. Pleasant, Tex., but fell to Blinn (Tex.) 19-6. Northwest has won or shared eight state championships, including back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992. From 1982 until 1992, the Rangers were the MACJC champs five times. It’s last championship came in 1999. Last Week In The MACJC In other second week action Thursday, East Central trimmed winless Holmes 27-24 in Goodman for its first victory of the year, second-ranked and defending North Division champ East Mississippi defeated winless Jones County 28-17 in Scooba, Copiah-Lincoln blasted winless Mississippi Delta 34-9 in Wesson, Coahoma was a 34-21 winner over Southwest Mississippi in Clarksdale, and Mississippi Gulf Coast demolished Itawamba 63-9 in Perkinston.
Week Three MACJC Match Ups
Wildcats Over The Airwaves All Pearl River games are broadcast live on WMXI-FM (98.1) in |