The Columbia Wildcats kick off their state championship quest Friday night on their home field against a top-tier non-district opponent when Mendenhall comes to town.
Mendenhall is coming off a great season in Class 4A with a 10-2 record and reaching the second round of the playoffs. However, the Tigers graduated a ton of starters, including their quarterback, top two running backs, three starting receivers and nine of their 11 defensive starters. Historically, though, they have been able to reload year to year, averaging more than eight wins per season the last four years.
“The tradition is there, and I think it’s going to be a battle,” Columbia head coach Chip Bilderback said. “With it being a 4A program, it’s looking like they’re probably going to have a little bit more numbers and guys going one way. It will probably be a lot like teams we’ll see in our division, and that’s why we scheduled it.”
Bilderback said that while Mendenhall lost star quarterback Christian Allen to Jackson State, the Tigers return a solid running back in Reggie McLaurin (6.1 yards per carry, five touchdowns) and a great receiver in Ke’shun Collier (42 catches, 771 yards and 14 touchdowns).
However, he added all of his focus will be on his own team and it being the best that it can be in Week 1 rather than worrying about the opponent.
“First games are usually won and lost on turnovers and conditioning. If you’re in good shape and don’t turn it over, you’re probably going to have a chance to win the game,” he said. “They kind of go hand in hand. The more tired you get the more fumbling you get.”
There’s a high likelihood the game will be a wet matchup either with the field being wet from earlier rains or it raining Friday night. Bilderback said the Wildcats began practicing with a wet ball Monday to prepare.
Columbia is also coming off a 10-win season and reached the third round of the Class 3A playoffs last year in Bilderback’s first year. He said he’s expecting Friday night to be a great test.
“We’re expecting it to be a four-quarter battle,” he said. “It’s going to be a fun game. I really believe that.”
The last time Columbia played Mendenhall was a 31-27 victory in the first round of the 2000 Class 4A playoffs.
Kickoff is at 7, and fans should be ready for potential bad weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a 70 percent chance of rain with showers and thunderstorms likely atfter 1 p.m.
Pictured Above: Wildcats junior defensive tackle Jeremiah Haynes shined during Columbia’s spring game against Sumrall in May and will be a big part of the defensive line this season. CHS hosts Mendenhall at 7 p.m. Friday to open its season. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
