No one at Cathedral has ever claimed the Green Wave’s defense was stellar.

A bit undersized, yeah. Scrappy and quick. But physical and overpowering would better describe the two offensive lines the Wave’s defensive front went against the previous two weeks in losses to Mize and Mount Olive.

Now tag banged up to the description of Cathedral’s defense. While it may not see another team like the previous two, coaches are still trying to find the right combination on defense as the Wave (3-2, 2-2) visits Enterprise (1-5, 1-3) Friday as Week 7 begins in MHSAA.

&uot;We’re trying to figure out what to do, too,&uot; Cathedral head coach Ken Beesley Sr. said. &uot;It’s hard to stop teams when they out-weigh you 30-40 pounds on the line of scrimmage. Our linebackers aren’t any bigger. If they run right at us, I don’t know what we’re going to do. We’ve tried shooting the gaps, stunting and just about everything. We’ve tried a six-man line. Eventually we get worn down.&uot;

Mize and Mount Olive used their size up front to move the ball late in the game and take wins, leaving the Green Wave offense in a position of must-score late in the game. Add to it that the unit is suffering from injuries here and there &045; linebacker John Paul Kenda was in and out Friday with dehydration and didn’t practice Monday or Tuesday &045; and that makes it that much more difficult.

Mount Olive ran for 242 yards last week, and Mize put up 318 yards rushing the week prior.

&uot;We’ll try to sub more,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;They kids have given us all they had. We’re pretty beat up right now. But we had a pretty good practice (Tuesday). We’ve got to get focused and continue to give the same effort we’ve given the last two weeks. If we get that, that’s all we can ask them to do. We’ll have to be able to stop the run.&uot;

Hazlehurst at Franklin County

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the area this season, the Franklin County Bulldogs are just trying to take advantage of the situation. After losing as many seniors as they did last year from a team that got into the playoffs, this year’s bunch was cast off as being a year or two away from doing something special.

Why wait? The Bulldogs are undefeated in Region 7-3A and have a shot at sitting all alone in first place Friday night against Halzehurst.

&uot;I told the kids all week I hadn’t anticipated us being in a game like this,&uot; FC head coach Anthony Hart said of his club that lost 18 starters from last year. &uot;But we’re there, so we’ll go ahead and try to win this thing. Right now we’re the only atwo teams that haven’t been beaten. We’re excited, but we want to play well now. That’s been our motto all year.&uot;

Much of the credit goes to the defense and special teams as the Bulldogs have dropped contests to Lawrence County and Wesson but knocked off a good Jefferson County team last week in Fayette. The Bulldogs held the Tigers to just six points and downed a good North Pike team the week prior, 14-7.

&uot;It’s been big,&uot; Hart said. &uot;We’ve put ourselves in good field position this season. We’ve given up some yards here and there, but we’ve managed to keep them out of the end zone. We’re real young on defense &045; we only start one senior or two seniors. Sometimes we have all underclassmen on the field.&uot;

Jefferson County at North Pike

The Tigers (4-2, 1-2) come into this game in almost a must-win situation against a solid North Pike team that is also looking not to drop another region game.

Hattiesburg at Natchez High

The Bulldogs (1-5) have lost their last two games by a combined score of 114-14 and are looking for a spark after posting a win over Vicksburg and playing well in a 14-0 defeat at Warren Central in Week 4.

Port Gibson at Wilkinson County

Both teams need a win for the sake of confidence, and the winner may have a shot at cracking the playoff picture provided they can win out. The Wildcats (2-4, 0-3) haven’t been able to win since opening the season with shutouts of South Delta and Pointe Coupee (La.) Central.

Port Gibson (1-5, 0-2) has lost to Amite County and Halzehurst and hasn’t won since opening the season with a 14-12 win over 5A Natchez High.