By Brad Greer

Sports View

After waiting nearly eight months and through a long summer, high school football season is finally upon us with all three Panola County schools preparing for the regular season that begins with next week’ Friday jamborees.

With preseason picks, I usually go out on a limb and take an educated guess on what will be the final standings of each district involving local teams.

In years past I’ve been relatively spot-on, but sometimes I  haven’t been anywhere close. So here goes:

MAIS District 1-4A:

1. North Delta

2. Lee Academy

3. Kirk

Region 3-3A:

1. North Panola

2. Water Valley

3. Senatobia

4.I ndependence

5. Byhalia

6. Holly Springs

Region 2-6A

1. Starkville

2. Madison Central

3. South Panola

4. Warren Central

5. Clinton

6. Germantown

7. Murrah

8. Greenville

There you have it. It will be interesting to see at year’s end how close (or how NOT so close) I got to picking right.

On a personal note, I was saddened to hear the loss of a good friend of mine, Randy Hammons, who passed away recently due to an aurotic aneurysm while in surgery at University Medical Center in Jackson.

Randy was the sports editor at the McComb Enterprise-Journal newspaper for 19 years and gave me my first job as a sports correspondent in 2004.

While hesitant about if i could handle the position, Randy told me a few words that I still try hold to.

“Keep it simple, just tell people what you saw,” he said.

Randy and I spent a many Friday nights traveling the highways and byways of south Mississippi looking for  a good football game.

Looking back at everything, if it wasn’t for him there is no way I would be where I am today.

God bless ya, Hambone! Gonna miss ya buddy.

Friday night football is going to feel a little different this fall, but I’m sure you and my dad will be yelling Hotty Toddy together.