In their fifth game of the year, the Jackson Prep football team defeated Lamar School 39-14 in Meridian. Now standing at a record of 4-1, the Patriots are setting their sights on their upcoming matchup with the Taylorsville Tartars. Being the first public school team the Patriots will see this season, Taylorsville presents a plethora of unique challenges. On the other hand, Prep will look to continue their 4 game winning streak by defending their home turf.

So far this season, the Taylorsville Tartars are off to an undefeated 5-0 record. The Tartars are part of the Mississippi Public Schools 2A classification. In recent years, Taylorsville has terrorized the rest of their division, letting their vaunted passing attack carry them to several state championship games. The offense is led by junior quarterback Ty Keyes. The impressive prospect is nationally ranked as the sixth-best dual-threat quarterback in the junior class, garnering attention from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Auburn. More notably, he already has 100 career touchdowns in his relatively short high school career. Led by Keyes, the Tartars have scored more than 30 points in all of their games this season. The Tartars will lean on their strength, speed, and physicality when they come to Prep on Friday.

Jackson Prep’s defense will have the tall task of stopping the Tartar offense. The public versus private matchup has many Patriot fans comparing the upcoming game to the Bassfield showdown 6 years ago. The games certainly feature striking similarities: Prep is defending its home field, facing several college-caliber athletes, and attempting to stop a highly-touted offensive attack. This time, if the Patriots hope to be as successful as they were against Bassfield, they will have to play similarly to the 2013 team. Prep will need to force turnovers on defense to flip the field position, giving their offense an easy shot at the endzone. Additionally, the Patriots will have to continue their recent knack for scoring on special teams. A well-planned strategy and consistent execution by the Patriots will be of utmost importance against the Tartars.

Make sure to support Prep on Friday, September 27 as they look to topple the Taylorsville Tartars at Patriot Field. Be there and be loud as the Patriots look to put their best foot forward for the home crowd.