Last Friday, Eupora won 38–20 at Bruce, and Small Town Friday's first town went home for the winter. This Friday, Eupora goes to Charleston in the next round of the Class 2A playoffs.
It made that playoff trip in 2021 and 2022, and both times its season ended there.
Since we visited
When we met Eupora in October, it was 8–1 and headed to East Webster. East Webster won that one 20–14. At Bruce, where the Press Coverage Power Index (PCPI) had Eupora by 11 after Week 10, it won by 18.
Eupora is 9–2. Both losses came on the road, at Kemper County and at East Webster.
The other town
Charleston is one of the two county seats of Tallahatchie County, with Sumner. It sits on the east side of the Tallahatchie River, where Highways 32 and 35 run together, and it calls itself the Gateway to the Delta.
Eupora, in Webster County, was established in 1889 on a spur of the Georgia Pacific Railway.
The numbers
After Week 11, the PCPI has Eupora by 2 at Charleston, a 55% chance.
Class 2A has 39 teams. After Week 11, the PCPI rates Eupora 8th. It rates Charleston 11th. In the preseason ratings, Charleston was higher, at 7th. Eupora was 14th.
All three of Charleston's losses came against bigger schools: Clarksdale in Class 4A, Olive Branch in Class 6A and DeSoto Central in Class 7A. Eupora's two came inside Class 2A, against two teams the PCPI rates higher after Week 11: East Webster, 4th, and Kemper County, 5th.
Been here before
Since 2015, the two schools have met four times, and Charleston has won three. Two of those came in the playoffs, both at Charleston. In 2021, Charleston won 46–18. In 2022, Charleston won 24–6. Eupora's win came in 2017, 13–6 at home.
Friday
Eupora has won four of its six road games this season. Since 2015, it has made two playoff trips to Charleston, and both ended its season. Friday is the third.
Around the North, Week 11
Last Friday's results for the North's small schools, winner first.
Class 1A: Okolona 34, Biggersville 14 · Vardaman 29, Smithville 21 · Tupelo Christian 51, West Lowndes 6 · West Tallahatchie 48, Ashland 6 · French Camp 55, Falkner 14 · Leflore County 48, H. W. Byers 6 · Potts Camp 26, Coffeeville 22. Calhoun City was off; next, Friday against French Camp in the playoffs.
Class 2A: Baldwyn 35, Leland 14 · Hamilton 44, J Z George 20 · Charleston 46, Hatley 8 · Northside 48, Walnut 6 · Eupora 38, Bruce 20 · Kemper County 50, East Union 12 · Myrtle 46, Velma Jackson 24 · East Webster 50, Water Valley 8.
Class 3A: O’Bannon 42, Alcorn Central 13 · Thomas E. Edwards 46, Belmont 0 · Booneville 13, Yazoo County 0 · Kossuth 38, Amanda Elzy 6 · Noxubee County 41, Coahoma County 0 · Winona 62, Holly Springs 14 · Choctaw County 42, Independence 7 · Aberdeen 36, North Panola 28.
MAIS 1A, 8-man: Central Holmes Christian 58, Delta Academy 18 · Tunica Academy 58, Kemper Academy 8 · DeSoto School (AR) 32, Calhoun Academy 14 · Tallulah Academy (LA) 60, Columbus Christian 20.
MAIS 2A: Lee Academy 42, Regents 7 · North Delta 57, Winston Academy 36 · Oak Hill Academy 38, Saint Joseph Greenville 29 · Winona Christian 42, Canton Academy 6.
MAIS 3A: Central Hinds Academy 28, Marshall Academy 14 · Heritage Academy 24, Washington School 21.
Standouts
Against our numbers after Week 10, before last week's games.
Vardaman won 29–21 at Smithville, where the model had given Smithville an 83% chance after Week 10.
Choctaw County won 42–7 at Independence, where the model had given Choctaw County an 89% chance after Week 10.
French Camp won 55–14 at Falkner, where the model had French Camp by 10 after Week 10.
Winona Christian won 42–6 at Canton Academy, where the model had Winona Christian by 8 after Week 10.
Heritage Academy beat Washington School 24–21, though the model had given Washington School a 73% chance after Week 10.
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 11 and don't move after that.
- Town facts: Wikipedia (Charleston, Mississippi; Eupora, Mississippi).