Any confusion about whether the annual football rivalry game between Leflore County High and Greenwood High will be played next month has been put to rest.
It won’t.
Robert Strebeck, conservator for the Leflore County School District, informed Leflore County High administrators this week that the school will not be allowed to play its scheduled season opener Aug. 22 at Greenwood or any other non-conference games as long as the district is without state accreditation.
That accreditation was lost last fall when the Mississippi Board of Education took over the Leflore County district because of a pattern of academic failure. Under current law, any district taken over by the state loses its accreditation. Loss of accreditation means athletic teams in the affected district can play only conference games. They aren’t allowed to play in any tournaments and are ineligible for postseason play.
Up until this week, Leflore County High School Principal Michael Tardy said he was under the impression the state would allow the Tigers to play their five conference games plus one other.
“I got the word that I was wrong, so I didn’t ask any more questions,” Tardy said. “We will move forward from here.”
The scheduling limitations will prove costly for Leflore’s athletic budget since the school loses its two biggest “money” games — cross-county rivals Greenwood and Amanda Elzy.
Leflore’s abbreviated season will start Oct. 3 against Region 3-3A foe East Side.
“This is new territory for all of us,” said Leflore head coach Sherrod Gideon. “Right now, I am just trying to figure out where we go from here. I know we will be at a huge disadvantage when we finally play our first game, playing a team that has already got five or six games under its belt. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Instead of starting practice during the normal time of early August, Gideon said he may use that time to get his players in shape and then begin working on football in early September.
Elzy will also be limited to just five Region 3-4A games. It will start its season Sept. 19 at Greenwood but won’t play again until Oct. 3 at home against Yazoo County.
“We’re just planning on conducting business as usual,” Elzy coach Eric House said. “We’ve got a pretty young group this year, so we’re looking on the bright side. We will have more time to get them ready to play.”
The loss of the Leflore contest leaves Greenwood in a tough spot, trying to find a replacement game with six weeks left before the start of the season.
GHS coach Clinton Gatewood, who first learned of the news Thursday when contacted by the Commonwealth, said he will try, while attending the state coaches clinic in Jackson next week, to find another opponent for the opening Friday of the season.
“I had a chance to fill that spot months ago, but I was told by Mr. Tardy that Leflore would be able to play this game,” said Gatewood.
Gatewood had also been the Greenwood district’s athletic director until a couple of weeks ago, when those responsibilities were shuffled to Assistant Superintendent Chester Leigh.
