NATCHEZ &045; There’s excitement brewing at Huntington as the Hounds are off to their first 3-0 start since their state championship team in 1971.

Adams Christian head coach Bobby Marks remembers it well.

&uot;Guess who was coaching over there?&uot; the veteran head coach recalled. &uot;That’s a long time not to be 3-0. We had some hosses. That’s the year we had five go with the Southeastern Conference and two the next year.&uot;

That was 34 years ago, a time when the Hounds ruled in the old LISA, parents of players on this year’s team were likely in junior high and first-year head coach Chad Harkins wasn’t even born.

That is a long drought of having a good start to the season, and it’s got the Hounds pumped up for their home contest against the Rebels Friday as MPSA schools in the Miss-Lou enter Week 5.

&uot;They’re excited &045; excited about playing AC and excited about playing at home here,&uot; Harkins said. &uot;Hopefully we can continue working hard in practice. We’re just looking to get better than we were last week. If we can improve week to week and do some things better than we did last week, I think we’ll be fine.&uot;

The contest is a battle of maybe two of the biggest MPSA teams in the Miss-Lou. The Rebels have used their size and power game to get their first 3-0 start since Marks coached the 1982 team to a state championship, but the Hounds may be the biggest team they’ve faced so far.

And the Hounds will do it with their power game, too. They’ve made progress each week in Harkins’ double-wing, double-tight formation.

&uot;We saw them in the jamboree, and I looked at a couple films,&uot; Marks said. &uot;They looked bigger than they did in the jamboree. They are big. I was talking to Coach (Rusty) McPhate and Coach (Ron) Rushing, and they said, ‘You’ve got it figured out?’ I said just tackle all four guys until you get to the one with the ball. We’ll try to tackle everybody if we can.&uot;

The Hounds have improved each week with their ground game, but their defense has picked up as well. In three games so far, the opposition has scored only 22 points.

In Friday’s win over Franklin Academy, the Hounds’ first-team defense didn’t allow a score.

&uot;We’ve had some good defensive efforts in the last three weeks,&uot; Harkins said. &uot;We’ve given up less than 100 yards rushing in the three games we’ve played. Our first-team defense hasn’t given up a touchdown. They’ve been playing pretty good, and I hope they can keep that up. We haven’t played the greatest teams in the world, but any time you keep the other team out of the end zone, it’s an accomplishment.&uot;

As for the Rebels’ offense, they’ll stick with what’s worked so far &045; the double-tight T formation and power football. There may even be some Notre Dame box &045; fans have caught only a glimpse of it so far &045; while there may still be room to open up the passing game.

Trinity Episcopal at Prairie View

NATCHEZ &045; When things were going right last week against Silliman and the Saints were well in control, life was good.

Fortunately they were able to hang on for the win when Tripp Bryant made an interception late in the game to preserve the seven-point win. But it sent home a message that every week is indeed going to be a fight this season.

&uot;We had a couple of quick scores in the game, and I thought we kind of slacked off with our intensity,&uot; Trinity head coach David King said. &uot;The bottom line is we’re not talented enough to come into a game half-cocked. I think that’s what happened to us.&uot;

The Saints (2-1) go back out of the district this week and next week with a contest next week at home against Tri-County &045; one of two single-A teams on their schedule. It’s been a week of refocusing for the Spartans, who despite their struggles this season are always tough to beat at home in Bastrop, La.

&uot;We’ve got to be mentally focused to play a football game,&uot; King said. &uot;We had a great workout yesterday, and we’re still trying to find an identity.

I think this (game) will go a long way in determining what kind of team we are.&uot;

Tensas at Porter’s Chapel

ST. JOSEPH, La. &045; The Chiefs lost a tough one last week on the game’s final play to Briarfield in the district opener.

Now they step back out of 7-A play in the hopes of getting on the right track.

WCCA at Brookhaven Academy

WOODVILLE &045; Things don’t get any easier for the Rams, who are trying to survive a tough pre-district schedule after falling last week to a tough Claiborne squad.