All games start at 7:30 p.m.

No. 2 Aberdeen (2-2) at No. 5 Okolona (2-1)

- This week: Aberdeen, ranked second in the Daily Journal’s Class 3A rankings, is coming off a huge 36-3 A-Game win over rival Amory. Okolona, ranked fifth in the Journal’s small schools’ rankings, is fresh off a 55-0 thrashing of New Site.

- Recent history: Okolona won the only meeting in the last three years, when the Chieftains beat the Bulldogs 26-24 in Aberdeen in 2006.

SCOUTING REPORT - Aberdeen: QB Aaron Andrews (ankle) should be back to full strength. ... RB Jamerson Love has rushed for 558 yards and scored 9 TDs. ... The Bulldogs should be on the verge of making a run in 3A as division play begins next week.

n Okolona: QB Zack Brooks has completed 22 of 31 pass attempts for 309 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. ... WB Kentray Ware has rushed 15 times for 213 yards and 2 TDs. .. WR Antwon Grady has 12 receptions for 186 yards and 2 TDs.

Baldwyn (0-3)at No. 4 Nettleton (3-1)

- This week: Baldwyn will be vying for its first win of the season against the Tigers, the Daily Journal’s fourth-ranked Class 3A team, who are coming off a 29-7 victory at Caledonia.

- Recent history: In their only meeting in the last three seasons, Nettleton defeated the Bearcats 30-13 in Baldwyn in 2006.

SCOUTING REPORT

- Baldwyn: The Bearcats have scored just 18 points in three games. ... QB Tanner Gaines is averaging 111.3 yards passing per game. ... LB Devin Lindsey is averaging 13.7 tackles.

- Nettleton: QB Anthony Franklin is 46 of 78 passing for 506 yards, 7 TDs and 4 INTs. ... RB Corbin White is averaging 77 rushing yards per game. ... Odarius Lowe has 9 catches for 187 yards and 4 TDs; Patrick Jones has 10 catches for 217 yards and 2 TDs.

Greenville Christian (1-3) at TCPS (1-3)

- This week: Two teams TCPS coach Aubrey Boren says are a “mirror image” of each other battle tonight. The visiting team is a member of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS), formerly the Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA). The Eagles are playing their first season as an MHSAA independent.

- Recent history: This the first meeting between the two schools.

SCOUTING REPORT

- TCPS: QB Will Cockrell has completed 76 of 141 passes for 821 yards, 7 TD and 5 INT. He also leads the team with 127 yards rushing. ... WR/RB Braxton Melancon has caught 31 passes for 416 yards, 3 TD. He also has 109 yards rushing. ... LB Ron Lavigne leads the defense with 34.5 tackles. ... TCPS is coming off a 51-6 road loss last week to 2A O’Bannon.

n Greenville Christian: The visitors run the spread offense with Hunter Martin and Justin Levy sharing the duties at QB. Levy’s the team’s go-to guy and plays a number of positions. “At quarterback he can run and throw. At receiver they like to get him in space,” Boren said. ... The team’s lone win was Sept. 4, a 40-15 decision against Sunflower.

No. 3 Itawamba AHS (3-0) at No. 3 Ripley (1-2)

- This week: This matchup looked good on paper at the beginning of the season, but it has since lost some of its appeal after the Indians got off to a blazing start and the Tigers being banged up following two losses.

- Recent history: Haven’t played in the last three seasons, and IAHS head coach Jamie Mitchell, who coached at Ripley from 1997-1999, hasn’t had one of his other teams – Charleston, Olive Branch and IAHS – play in Ripley since leaving 10 years ago.

SCOUTING REPORT

- Itawamba AHS: QB Maikhail Miller is 38 of 58 passing for 587 yards, 5 TDs and 1 INT. ... RB Deshawn McGaughy has carried 32 times for 275 yards (8.3 avg.) and 3 TDs. ... TE Dillon Mitchell has 14 catches for 254 yards (19.5 avg.) and 4 TDs.

- Ripley: QB Acie Vance is 21 of 31 passing for 258 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He has rushed for 3 TDs. ... RB Devin Jones has rushed for 246 yards (7.94 avg) and 2 TDs. Leading rusher Rashid March (back) will not play tonight. ... DL Isaac Bails has been moved to LB to replace the injured Bentley Mauney. ... In 27 years of coaching, head coach Mac McCurry has never had four starters out due to injuries by the fourth game of the season.

No. 5 Pontotoc (3-0) at Houston (1-3)

- This week: The fifth-ranked Pontotoc Warriors are a veteran squad, while the Hilltoppers are rather young, with 44 of 57 players being freshmen and sophomores.

- Recent history: Haven’t played in last three seasons.

SCOUTING REPORT

- Pontotoc: QB Canden Dallas has completed 28 of 48 pass attempts for 442 yards and 6 TDs. ... RB Randall Crayton has rushed 50 times for 434 yards and 4 TDs. He also has 7 catches for 106 yards and 1 TD. ... WR Ryan Thompson has 7 receptions for 129 yards and 2 TDs. ... Houston head coach Buz Boyer said Pontotoc likes to “spread it out and throw it or get in the ‘I’ and run it down your throat.”

- Houston: Pontotoc head coach Charlie Dampeer says the Hilltoppers have a lot of speed. ... QB Shawn Wright is 22 of 35 passing for 187 yards, 1 TD and 5 INTs. ... RB Will Kirby has 16 carries for 140 yards and 1 TD; RB Reggie Buchanan has rushed 38 times for 139 yards and 4 TDs.

No. 1 Shannon (3-0)at Amory (0-4)

- This week: In what usually is a marquee matchup, Shannon, the Journal’s top-ranked large school, comes to Amory this year clicking on all cylinders, while the Panthers are still in search of their first win.

- Recent history: Shannon has won the past three meetings, with the 2007 contest – a 34-28 Red Raiders win in Amory – being decided by the closest margin.

SCOUTING REPORT

- Shannon: RB Keon McGaughy has rushed 58 times for 589 yards and 7 TDs. He also has 6 receptions for 179 yards and 3 TDs. ... Junior QB Legilbert Bogan has completed 20 of 41 attempts for 502 yards, 7 TDs and 1 INT. ... WR Chris Davis has 6 catches for 168 yards and 3 TDs.

- Amory: The Panthers have been outscored 146-32. ... Aberdeen held Amory’s offense to 94 yards and 3 first downs. ... The Panthers lost 49-7 to Itawamba AHS, a division opponent of Shannon, on Aug. 28.

Water Valley (2-1)at North Pontotoc (4-0)

- This week: A strong defensive Water Valley team travels to Ecru to take on a high-scoring North Pontotoc team (34.3 points per game).

- Recent history: Haven’t played in last three seasons.

SCOUTING REPORT

- Water Valley: The Blue Devils have allowed just 215 yards combined in their last two games – a 35-0 shutout of Calhoun City and a 21-14 win over J.Z. George. ... J.D. Fondon had 13 tackles (3 for a loss), 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 recovered fumbles vs. J.Z. George. ... RB D.C. Logan has carried 62 times for 338 yards and 6 TDs.

- North Pontotoc: QB Brandon Bailey has completed 47 of 91 passes for 625 yards, 5 TDs and 3 INTs. ... RB/WR Myles Snyder has carried 45 times for 289 yards and 8 TDs. ... WR Jeremy Berry has 18 receptions for 252 yards and 2 TDs.

No. 2 West Point (2-1) at Noxubee County (4-0)

- This week: Ranked No. 2 in the Journal’s large schools’ rankings and No. 3 in the Associated Press’ Class 5A statewide rankings, West Point faces its toughest challenge since playing at Shannon in Week 1. Noxubee County is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by the AP.

- Recent history: West Point has won two of the last three meetings, but was shut out 42-0 at home last year by the Tigers.

SCOUTING REPORT

- West Point: Head coach Chris Chambless says the bye week after the Shannon game has helped his team a lot by allowing the Green Wave to correct early season mistakes. ... QB Justin Cox has thrown for 247 yards and 3 TDs. ... The Wave rushed for 269 yards, with 113 of those coming from Jacoby Lee, in last week’s 33-13 win over Starkville.

- Noxubee County: Chambless says the Tigers play great defense and run the ball well. ... The Tigers are utilizing a lot more ball control this year, meaning they’re running a lot more than they pass, according to Chambless. ... The West Point coach also says the Tigers, who are a “very physical running football team,” are good enough to complete passes when needed.

Compiled by John Wilbert;

TCPS capsule by Gene Phelps