NATCHEZ &045; There’s another step to making things right at Natchez High, and it starts Friday night.

The Bulldogs will open Region 4-5A action at home against Meridian and in search of their first region win since the final game of the 2001 season. For four straight seasons the Bulldogs have struggled in the games that really count with that one win coming on the road via a missed field goal at the buzzer.

They’re hoping things are different in 2005. The Bulldogs are playing better, and the region isn’t as loaded from top to bottom. They’ll get their first crack Friday as MHSAA schools in the Miss-Lou enter Week 5.

&uot;We feel like we have a chance,&uot; Natchez High head coach Lance Reed said. &uot;We have to do our part. Regardless of how everyone is in the district, we have to do our part and make things happen in order to be successful in district play. It’s been hot and humid, and that’s been a strain on us. We’ve been pushing through to get ready for these games that count.&uot;

What’s keeping them grounded a bit, however, was the off week last week that wasn’t planned. Everything was set for a game at Franklin County against a good 3A team before both schools cancelled it with Hurricane Rita looming in the Gulf.

It may have thrown the Bulldogs’ routine for a bit of a loop, but that’s been the norm for everyone this fall.

&uot;Honestly, not playing last week I don’t feel was very good,&uot; Reed said. &uot;Playing makes you better. We didn’t get an opportunity to do that last week. Our practices this week haven’t been the best. I feel like it did break up a rhythm that we felt like we were maintaining. We felt good about our game plan and didn’t get a chance to execute it.&uot;

Coaches at least got a little early jump on preparing for the Wildcats, who have appeared in the top 10 rankings in Class 5A this falls and should battle Hattiesburg and Oak Grove for the top spots in the region.

The Wildcats will give it to Cordero Eason Friday night, and much of the Bulldogs’ game plan will center around him.

&uot;He’s a big kid who runs hard,&uot; Reed said. &uot;He has a good offensive line that blocks for him. And they run the ball well. They’ve got a good quarterback who can get the ball out there to certain spots. We thought (Jefferson County) was the most balanced team we played, but it looks like Meridian is a really good balanced team with running being their strength.&uot;

That leaves the biggest emphasis as stopping the run Friday night. It’s an area the Bulldogs have shown signs of improvement so far, including that 49-8 win over Jefferson County where the Tigers gained 66 yards on 20 carries.

Last season Meridian clicked in both areas in a 59-34 win over the Bulldogs after taking a 38-0 lead just before half.

&uot;Last year we didn’t stop them very well,&uot; Reed said. &uot;We’ve been focusing on aspects of our defense from the off-season until now, and constantly working on that to where we can stop the run. We have to contain. I don’t know if you can stop him, but we’re going to try to contain him. We’re trying to put ourselves in a position to be in the ball game.&uot;

Cathedral at St. John

NATCHEZ &045; If you watch both St. John and Mount Olive on film, Mount Olive may get the nod as the better team.

Only slightly.

St. John, newcomers in Region 4-1A this fall, are just as tough to prepare for as the team that left for Class 2A in Mize. It’s the Green Wave’s annual two-week test of strength with Mount Olive on the schedule next week, and the team will travel to Gulf Coast Community College Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

&uot;St. John has got some good athletes and got all the tools they need on offense,&uot; CHS head coach Ken Beesley Sr. said. &uot;They’ve got a big fullback who runs up the middle, and their quarterback runs the option real well. He’s an excellent passer. They get you looking for the run and over-pursuing, and they’ll run their wingback with a counter. He’s an exceptional athlete, too.&uot;

It leaves the Green Wave going back to work to improve on defense after struggling making tackles earlier this season. It’s a tall task for anyone with St. John’s size, but the Green Wave will have to pick its game defensively and consistently gang-tackle to stay in the game.

&uot;I feel like we’ve got to stop the fullback first,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;If we can’t stop him running up the middle, we’re going to have problems. I don’t see us bringing him down unless we do gang tackle. I’m sure we’re going to have some more trouble tackling this Saturday. It’s going to be hard for us to do some one-on-one open-field tackling.&uot;

The defense will be without freshman Kole Junkin, who will be out three to six weeks with a cracked bone in his ankle. Sophomore receiver Daniel Culbert may also miss Saturday with a sore ankle.

South Pike at Franklin County

MEADVILLE &045; It’s bad enough at Franklin County a new team was going through an adjustment process of two new coordinators.

Now throw in the two hurricanes that threw the prep football world on its ear, and that’s a good reason why the Bulldogs are 1-2 on the season heading into Friday’s Region 7-3A opener. But now that they’ve had a week to prepare for an opponent they know they’ll play, things are a little easier.

Only the week leading up to the season-opener &045; a 6-0 win over Brookhaven &045; could be defined as normal.

&uot;It’s been a bumpy road so far having to switch games and cancel games,&uot; Franklin head coach Grady McCluskey said. &uot;We’ve only played one game of the first four that’s originally been on the schedule. Practicing all week and preparing for a team we’ll actually play will be a positive. It’s been tough the way everything has fallen. Hopefully after this week everything will get back to normal.&uot;

That depends on your definition of normal, which has varied significantly since the first week of the season. The game last week was nearly normal with Natchez High until it was cancelled.

All the while the Bulldogs have tried to hammer out their problems offensively. With new staff and new players at some skill positions, the offense has netted only 30 points in three games.

&uot;We’ve got to work it out in every area now,&uot; McCluskey said. &uot;We’ve got two new coordinators, seven new kids on offense and five on defense. It’s just trying to find our groove and trying to do our best. It’s been one of those years. A lot of people are having to deal with it.&uot;

Jefferson County at Hinds AHS

FAYETTE &045; The Tigers get out of Region 7-3A but will face a tough team in Hinds AHS.

The Tigers (3-1) will have Travis Isaac back at quarterback, but the defense will be key against a Hinds team that can score a ton of points.

Wilkinson County at Amite

WOODVILLE &045; The Wildcats are in search of their first win after Monday’s disappointing loss at Columbia to open region play.

It’s another road game for the Wildcats. They won’t play in Woodville until Oct. 14.