By Brad Greer
South Panola football has never been known to shy away from playing some of the toughest teams in the state  
This season proves not to be any different as the young Tigers open up the 2016 campaign Thursday under the lights of Robert H. Dunlap Stadium as No. 2 ranked Clinton invades Batesville for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Tickets for the game go on sale at the high school Thursday morning from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $7.
South Panola, coming off last year’s 11-1 record, enters the contest No. 3 in the Clarion-Ledger pre-season prep poll.
Thursday’s grudge match marks the third straight year these two teams have met with South Panola coming out on top in a 9-7 playoff win in 2014 followed by last year’s 35-25 victory at Clinton.
The Arrows meanwhile are coming off a 8-5 season and were bounced from the Class 6A playoffs 45-27 by Starkville.
Clinton is led by perhaps the state’s most electrifying player in senior quarterback Cam Akers. The 6-foot, 215-pound Akers is ranked the No. 2 running back in the nation and No. 9 player overall by numerous recruiting publications.
Akers is by far not a one-man show for the Arrows as fellow Dandy Dozen teammate and Iowa St. committment Kam’ron White (6’2”- 215) and speedster Darius Mayberry (5’10’ 175) complete a potent offense.
“In all my time, I do not think I have seen a collection of skilled players on offense like the have this year. They have so many dynamic playmakers that can take it the distance from anywhere on the field. Akers  might overshadow some of those guys, but he is certainly not the only player that can hurt you. They are a dangerous football team,” said Tiger head coach Lance Pogue.
South Panola’s offense led by junior signal caller Patrick Shegog will try to keep Akers and company off the field while chewing up yardage of their own.
Senior Desmond Shegog (6-3’-275) will anchor the South Panola offensive line along with Tabarious Evans (6’2”-255) at tackle, juniors Thomas Turner (5’9”-250) at center,  Tyreke Bland (5’10”-250) at guard and Jamaul Lofton (6’4”-290) at the other guard spot.
“I feel like we are ready go get out there and see what we can do,” said Pogue. “The only way we are going to find out how good we are going to be is throw the young guys out there and let them get their feet wet so to speak. You really don’t know how kids are going to react  because you have all the excitement built up and the jitters going on. But we have had all summer and these final few weeks to prepare for whatever comes our way,” said Pogue.
One of the main keys to victory will be to limit Akers from making big plays in key moments of the game.
 “He is going to get his yards, there is no doubt about that. Our focus is not letting him have a ‘Heisman Trophy’ kind of night. We have got to find a way to get the key stops and hopefully cause a few turnovers. That could be another key to the game is whoever can win the turnover battle,” said Pogue.
 The first edition on  “The coach Lance Pogue Call-in Show” will air tomorrow night at 6 p.m. on WBLE 100.5 FM.