Coming off an emotional and tight victory, Poplarville’s Head Football Coach Jay Beech is preparing his team for what he thinks is going to be another close game at Lumberton on Friday.

“Lumberton is another good test for us. They will compete for a state championship this year so playing them isn’t something to take lightly,” Beech said.

Since 1995, Poplarville has lost every matchup against Lumberton except last season’s clash where they beat the Panthers 42-8.

Beech described this week’s game as another rivalry for the Hornets, which could play out to their advantage.

“Close football games are a good experience for any team, and I expect this game to be just that,” Beech said. “If you win a close game, it gives you confidence when another one happens and if you lose, it gives you a better understanding of what it is going to take to win those games. High pressure is only going to help us so we are excited to play against Lumberton.”

Poplarville’s last game against Pearl River Central started with a 69-yard rushing touchdown and ended with a game-winning field goal for the Hornets.

“The way the kids play is contagious. They play with passion and a lot of heart, which I am very proud of,” Beech said.

He added that the seniors have started the season off with great leadership, especially on defense. Although the offensive line is not entirely seniors, Beech acknowledged them for going above and beyond the call of duty, doing everything that is asked of them to come out with a win.

Beech said that even though he was happy with last week’s win against rival Pearl River Central, he still sees room for improvement before heading into Friday’s game in Lumberton.

“We still have to correct our mistakes. Last week we focused on tackling and did not do that great of a job against the Blue Devils. Lumberton is a quality football team this year with lots of speed and height in their receivers,” Beech said.

The Poplarville Hornets face off against the Lumberton Panthers Friday at Lumberton at 7 p.m.