centreville — A 5-0 start to the season has the Centreville Academy football team ranked as one of the top MAIS teams in the state.

But the Tigers know that with success come more challenges, assistant coach Brian Stutzman said.

“We tell them every week we’ll play with a bull’s-eye on our chest,” Stutzman said. “Everybody will give their best effort to try to beat us.”

This week that team will be Brookhaven Academy, a team that Stutzman called possibly the toughest team the Tigers face all season.

“They throw the ball really well, and they have Gage Posey, who is one of the best quarterbacks around,” Stutzman said. “He can scramble or throw it, and we have got to contain him.”

The Tigers must also focus on running back Landon Nettles, Stutzman said.

“Our defensive line is going to be key putting pressure on them, and our secondary is going to have to play lights out,” he said.

Stutzman said defensive linemen Tyler Duncan, Colby Shaw, Drew Hatchell and Mike Keith will have to play well Friday.

The Tigers must also clean up their play Friday, Stutzman said. Centreville had 15 penalties for 146 yards against Oak Forest, and miscues have been a problem all season.

“It’s just lack of concentration, and we are not focused when we should be,” he said.

Stutzman said the Tigers must be ready for a tough game against their annual rival.

“It’s always a big challenge,” he said. “Every time we play Brookhaven, it’s a tight game.”

The Tigers (5-0) will travel to Brookhaven at 7 p.m. Friday.

WCCA at Claiborne Academy

WOODVILLE — The Wilkinson County Christian Academy football team is preparing to fight for the top spot in MAIS District 3-A Friday.

The Rams (3-1, 2-0) will travel to face the only other unbeaten team in the district, Claiborne Academy (4-1, 3-0), with first place on the line.

WCCA head coach David Wright said Claiborne presents a great challenge for the Rams.

“They are a very aggressive defense that capitalizes on creating turnovers,” Wright said. “They run a Power-I formation that highlights several athletic and fast running backs.”

The Rams defense was outstanding last week in a 17-10 victory over Riverfield Academy. WCCA held Riverfield to 58 rushing yards, and the defense will need to be strong against the run again this week.

Wright said running back Kaleb Sterling and quarterback Taylor Prevost will need to maintain their quality play this week to push the Rams’ offense.

Prevost has thrown a touchdown pass in each of the Rams’ four games, and Sterling rushed for more than 100 yards last week.

Last season WCCA had little trouble in a 47-7 victory over Claiborne. If the Rams are able to pull out another victory this year, they will have a leg-up on the district title race and will control their own playoff destiny.

WCCA will travel to Haynesville, La., with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.