Winona football coach Joey Tompkins will tell anybody that listens that his football schedule is not ideal, but he plans to make the most out of it.
When Winona consolidated with Montgomery County, it was ruled the Tigers were required to play the 2018 season as an independent and not be eligible for the playoffs. But Winona appealed that ruling and were eventually placed in Division 5-3A with the caveat that all of their division games would be on the road. Eventually that changed as well.
With MHSAA schools being in the middle of a two-year scheduling cycle, Winona’s schedule is unique this year with just four home games and seven road games, including all four in the month of September.
“I’m just glad that we are playing and have an opportunity to make the playoffs,” Tompkins said. “I don’t know much about most of those schools. But they don’t know anything about us either.”
The Tigers will open the season at the Oxford jamboree where they will take on Class 4A Senatobia at 4 p.m.
Their first regular-season game will be at Strayhorn, a team they beat 58-0 last year.
“We got up on them pretty early last year,” Tompkins said. “I think as the season went on, they got a lot better. I know they started off slow and ended up being decent. We just outmanned them last year and sort of poured it on in the second half.”
The Tigers will then host Class 3A Choctaw County, who beat them 29-21 last year.
“That’s a big game for us and for them,” Tompkins said. “They beat us last year in a close game and they don’t lose a whole lot. I expect another battle with them. They run the wing-T on offense and that’s not something you see week in and week out.”
The Tigers will then host Nanih Waiya on Aug. 31. The Warriors beat the Tigers 48-28, handing them their worst loss of the season.
“They will have the best offensive and defensive lines that we will face,” Tompkins said. “They beat us handily last year. I know they lost two good players from last year but they have a lot coming back and have gotten a couple of kids that moved in that will help them. We are looking forward to trying to avenge that loss.”
On Sept. 7, Winona will then open up Division 5-3A play at Forest, a team that went 10-4 last year and lost in the third round of the Class 3A playoffs last year.
“I don’t know a lot about them except they have a Division I player in Diwon Black (Mississippi State commit),” Tompkins said. “I think they will be one of the teams to beat in 3A South. We will have our hands full with them and we have to go there.”
After Forest, the Tigers make another trip to Scott County to take on Morton, a team that went 5-7 last year.
“I know less about Morton than I do about Forest,” Tompkins said. “I think they are one of the larger 3A schools. I’m sure they are going to be a big physical football team with a lot of athletes.”
On Sept. 21, the Tigers will travel to take on Water Valley, a team they beat 35-19 last year.
“Not taking away anything from anybody we play, but Water Valley is probably one of the best teams we will play,” Tompkins said. “They didn’t hardly lose anybody and are probably one of the top teams in North 3A. We have played them all four years I’ve been here and we have gone 2-2 against them.”
The Tigers will close out September with its longest road trip of the year to Southeast Lauderdale, who went 5-7 last year.
“I know less about Southeast than anybody on our schedule,” Tompkins said. “I don’t even know their colors. They are just one of those schools we will have to see as the year goes along.”
After four straight road games, Winona will return to 5-3A play with Kemper County, who agreed to play the Tigers at home. The game will be Winona’s homecoming game.
“My first year here, we were 3A and they came here in the playoffs,” Tompkins said. “I don’t know much about them but I know they have a new coach. I’m just glad they agreed to play us at home so we could push back homecoming.”
On Oct. 12, the Tigers will hopefully face Calhoun City, a team they beat twice last year, including a thrilling playoff win that sent them to the 2A title game. The game is somewhat of a concern for Tompkins. It’s possible the MHSAA could let newly consolidated Northside take Winona’s former schedule, which would take away the Calhoun city game.
“That would be our senior night,” Tompkins said. “That will be our senior night and should be a huge gate for us. I know they are a good football team and have some good players coming back. We stunned them twice last year and hopefully our kids will be up for the challenge.”
The Tigers will then finish up 5-3A play against Choctaw Central, a team that went 0-10 last year before finishing out the regular season at Class 4A Kosciusko, a team they beat 28-27 in overtime last year.
“We beat them last year in overtime but that was the fifth game of the year,” Tompkins said. “It’s not really what I want but I’m just glad we are getting to play. They run that double wing and run a lot of midline and veer. But we did a good job of stopping that last year and they isolated their really good wide receiver and hit a couple of big pass plays on us.”
