The last time Eupora beat East Webster, in 2022, it won 26–19 on East Webster's field. East Webster has won the three meetings since. Eupora scored 6 points in those three games combined.
Last December, East Webster won its first state title. It beat Heidelberg 28–16 in the Class 2A final. East Webster finished 14–1 in 2025.
On Thursday night Eupora crosses Webster County to play there again. Both teams are 8–1, and Eupora brings the question it has carried since 2022: can it win this game again?
Two schools, one county
Webster County has one school district, and it runs both of these high schools. Eupora counted 2,018 people at the 2020 census. It was established in 1889 on a spur of the Georgia Pacific Railway.
East Webster High School sits in the Cumberland community, on Old Cumberland Road, with a Maben mailing address. The school opened in 1986, when two schools merged. A tornado destroyed it in 2011, and it was rebuilt by 2013.
Both have sent players on. Johnthan Banks went from East Webster to Mississippi State and then to the NFL, a second-round pick in 2013. From Eupora, Michael Simmons played at Mississippi State and for the New Orleans Saints, and Derrick Jones went to Ole Miss and the New York Jets.
The coaches
Ron Price coaches East Webster. Brad Gray coaches Eupora.
Both ways
Eupora's roster names 49 players, and 11 are seniors. East Webster lists 45, with eight seniors. Several of their best players are listed on both sides of the ball.
Eupora's offense runs through Peyton Perkins, a senior quarterback who has run for 24 touchdowns. Jarell Myles, a junior, plays linebacker and receiver. He leads Eupora in receiving yards per game and has 4.5 sacks. Connor Swindle, a junior defensive end who is also listed at offensive tackle, matches him at 4.5 sacks. Swindle has 19 quarterback hurries, too. Jai Wofford, a senior receiver and running back, has scored five touchdowns and picked off a pass.
At East Webster, Kross Avent, a junior quarterback, has thrown 22 touchdown passes. Lamarkiz McCurry, a senior cornerback and receiver, leads the team with six touchdown catches. He has forced four fumbles, too. Jace Yates, a senior receiver and defensive back, has three touchdown catches and an interception. Sproles Stewart, a senior linebacker, leads East Webster in tackles per game.
The numbers
The two seasons look alike from a distance. Each team is 8–1, and each lost only at Kemper County. Kemper County beat Eupora 35–8. It beat East Webster 45–20.
Up close they've been built differently. East Webster has played four teams from bigger classes this season and beaten all four. The closest was 27–24 at Caledonia, a Class 5A team, on Sept. 25. Eupora hasn't played up once.
The Press Coverage Power Index (PCPI) rated East Webster 2nd in 2A before the season. After Week 9, it's 5th. Eupora started 14th. After Week 9, it's 7th.
They share two more region opponents:
Philadelphia: Eupora won 50–14. East Webster won 49–0.
Velma Jackson: Eupora won 44–14 at home. East Webster won 48–28 on the road.
Thursday
Kemper County has already clinched Region 4-2A, because it beat both of these teams. East Webster, Eupora and Velma Jackson have each clinched a playoff spot. So Thursday decides second place and the seed that comes with it.
After Week 9, the PCPI has East Webster by 8 at home, a 73% chance.
East Webster has won nine of the 11 meetings since 2015. Eupora's last win came on this same field.
Around the North, Week 9
Every small school in the North, from last week's games, winner first.
Region 1-1A: Smithville 20, Biggersville 6. Tupelo Christian was off; next, Thursday at Smithville.
Region 2-1A: Potts Camp 50, Ashland 8 · Falkner 52, H. W. Byers 20.
Region 3-1A: Calhoun City 34, Vardaman 0 · Okolona 40, West Lowndes 0.
Region 4-1A: Leflore County 30, Coffeeville 6 · West Tallahatchie 20, French Camp 14.
Region 1-2A: Baldwyn 84, Hamilton 63 · Walnut 34, Hatley 28.
Region 2-2A: Myrtle 38, Bruce 27 · Water Valley 52, Strayhorn 20 · Belmont 66, East Union 42.
Region 3-2A: Charleston 34, Northside 30 · J Z George 30, Palmer 14 · Thomas E. Edwards 36, Leland 0.
Region 4-2A: East Webster 48, Velma Jackson 28 · Eupora 50, Philadelphia 14 · Heidelberg 46, Kemper County 7.
Region 1-3A: Booneville 42, Alcorn Central 6 · Kossuth 38, Mantachie 6.
Region 2-3A: Magnolia Heights 55, Independence 24. Holly Springs at Coahoma County: result to come. North Panola was off; next, Thursday against Holly Springs.
Region 3-3A: O’Bannon 22, Amanda Elzy 14 · Yazoo County 22, Humphreys County 6.
Region 4-3A: Winona 41, Choctaw County 20 · Noxubee County 58, Nettleton 0 · Senatobia 13, Aberdeen 0.
MAIS 1A, 8-man: Delta Academy 58, Deer Creek 20 · Humphreys Academy 56, North Sunflower Academy 24 · Tunica Academy 48, Marvell Academy (AR) 14. Results to come: Delta Streets Academy at Prairie View (LA), Columbus Christian at Kemper Academy, and Calhoun Academy's game.
MAIS 2A: Lee Academy 35, Carroll Academy 7 · North Delta 24, Regents 6 · Manchester Academy 36, Kirk Academy 23 · Indianola Academy 27, Winona Christian 24 · Saint Joseph Greenville 34, Riverfield (LA) 22 · Brookhaven Academy 56, Greenville Christian 14 · Leake Academy 38, Oak Hill Academy 30. Winston Academy: result to come.
MAIS 3A: Marshall Academy 41, West Memphis Christian (AR) 15 · Washington School 37, Rossville Christian (TN) 14. Heritage Academy at Hartfield Academy: result to come.
Standouts
Against our numbers after Week 8, before last week's games.
Indianola Academy beat Winona Christian 27–24. The model had given Winona Christian a 95% chance.
Walnut won 34–28 at Hatley as a 10-point underdog. This is Walnut's last season before it and Falkner become North Tippah.
Delta Academy won 58–20 at Deer Creek, where the model had Deer Creek by 1.
Charleston won 34–30 at Northside, where the model had Northside by 3.
Baldwyn and Hamilton scored 147 points between them. Baldwyn won 84–63.
Thomas E. Edwards is 8–0 after beating Leland 36–0.
Leflore County is 8–0. After Week 9, the Press Coverage Power Index rates it 1st in 1A.
Notes
- How the numbers work: the Press Coverage Power Index (PCPI) rates every Mississippi team from its margins and schedule, and our projection for each game comes from those ratings. Ratings and ranks are after Week 9 and don't move after that.
- Town and school facts: Wikipedia (Eupora, Mississippi; East Webster High School; Webster County, Mississippi), from the 2020 U.S. Census. North Tippah: MHSAA's 2027-29 classifications; the Daily Journal and Action News 5. School address and coach: East Webster's football page. Eupora's coach: WCBI ("HSFT Stop #17: Eupora", July 8, 2026). East Webster's 2025 title: its football page and Wikipedia. Former players: Wikipedia. Rosters and 2026 player figures: each team's MaxPreps pages, as of Oct. 24 to 26.