Five of the seven Greenwood-area high school football teams will begin spring practices Monday.
Greenwood High, Amanda Elzy, Leflore County, J.Z. George and Delta Streets Academy all plan on starting Monday, while the other two — Pillow and Carroll Academy — don’t start until May 2.
Greenwood, under the direction of veteran coach Clinton Gatewood, will practice for three weeks before playing in the Delta State University jamboree on May 14 in Cleveland.
The Bulldogs, who were just 3-6 overall and 0-4 in Region 3-4A last season, are slated to play Cleveland Central at 7:30 p.m. to conclude the jamboree.
The Bulldogs open their 2022 campaign Aug. 27 against Holmes County Central.
The Panthers will also practice for three weeks and end their spring season at the DSU jamboree. Elzy, 2-8 overall and 0-4 in Region 3-3A last season, will take on Simmons High School at 3:45 p.m. Morris Bush will be entering his second season at the helm of the Elzy program in the fall.
The Tigers are the defending North 2A champs as they made it to the State 2A title game against Scott Central. Leflore, 10-4 overall in 2021 and under the guidance of head coach Eric House, will practice for the next three weeks and play in the DSU jamboree against Shaw High School at 6:15 p.m.
Leflore County and Elzy open on Aug. 26 against each other.
J.Z. George went 7-5 overall and finished 3-1 in Region 4-2A in Rusty Smith’s second season. The Jaguars made it to the second round of the playoffs, losing to Charleston. The Jaguars will play a scrimmage game against Ethel High School on May 13 in North Carrollton.
J.Z. George opens its 2022 season on Aug. 26 at Alcorn Central. The Jags will play a scrimmage game on Aug. 19 against West Tallahatchie.
Delta Streets will practice for three weeks and conclude spring drills by playing Clinton Christian on May 20 at 2 p.m. in the USM jamboree in Hattiesburg.
The Lions went 3-8 overall in 2021, losing to Winona Christian in the first round of the playoffs. This will be Travis Upshaw’s third season as head coach of DSA, which opens its season Aug. 26 at home against Washington.
Pillow Academy head coach Jim Crowder said the Mustangs will go for an unspecified number of days and will likely just play an intrasquad game. Pillow was 6-6 overall and made it to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs in 2021 in Crowder’s first year.
The Mustangs open on Aug. 19 at Kirk Academy.
Carroll head coach Bo Milton said the Rebels will practice for two weeks and hopefully play a scrimmage game to end spring drills. The Rebels were 6-5 overall and lost to Indianola in the first round last year.
Carroll opens its 2022 season Aug. 19 at Winona Christian School.
Contact Calvin Stevens at 662-581-7234 or cstevens@gwcommonwealth.com.
