By Austin Bishop
& Bobby Gray
Mississippi Prep Sports Source

If you want to know who the No. 1 prep football team in Mississippi is going into the 2010 season, you don’t have to look any further than Batesville.
South Panola, the defending MHSAA Class 6A Champions and the winners of state record eight titles overall, are the odds on favorite to end the year with the championship trophy once again.
Defending champions also hold preseason No. 1 rankings in Class 5A (West Point), Class 3A (Tylertown), Class 2A (Bassfield) and in the MAIS Overall (Jackson Academy) rankings.
Lafayette County has been tabbed the team to beat in Class 4A, with Durant holding down the preseason No. 1 spot in Class 1A.
While South Panola is unquestionably the team to beat, look for Meridian — ranked No. 2 in Class 6A — to be a real challenge for the Tigers. Taking the third spot in 6A is Petal, a team that should make up some major ground this year. Rounding out the top five are Clinton and Madison Central.
There is nothing really shocking about the top names in 5A, as West Jones is No. 2 behind West Point, followed by Wayne County. New Hope, last year’s big surprise, and Moss Point are fourth and fifth respectively.
Lafayette County opens the season on top of Class 4A, followed by perennial power Noxubee County, Shannon, Greene county and Forrest County AHS. Class 4A is the most fluid of all seven rankings categories, as multiple teams have a chance to come away with the championship trophy.
Tylertown holds an ever-so-slight edge over Aberdeen to open the year in Class 3A, followed by Charleston, Forest and Philadelphia.
Bassfield is looking for the repeat in Class 2A, as the South looks to be extremely strong at the top. Taylorsville is ranked second, followed by West Bolivar, North Forrest and Puckett.
While Mount Olive has a lot back from its 2009 championship, Durant still looks to be the team to beat. First-year head coach Sleepy Robinson looks to have the Tigers in Jackson in December once again.
Following Durant and No. 2-ranked Mount Olive are Nanih Waiya, Smithville and Sebastopol.
Jackson Academy opens the year as the top team in the MAIS, followed by arch-rival Jackson Prep, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Brookhaven Academy and Washington School.

THE RANKINGS/TOP 15
The Mississippi Prep Sports Source rankings are produced by Austin Bishop and Bobby Gray. Bishop has been covering high school sports in Mississippi since 1975, while Gray is a longtime follower of prep football in North Mississippi. The ranking service is in its third year and is subscribed to by more than 50 media outlets.

6A
1. South Panola (14-1)
2. Meridian (11-2)
3. Petal (7-5)
4. Clinton (11-2)
5. Madison Central (13-1)
6. Olive Branch (10-3)
7. Oak Grove (11-3)
8. Ocean Springs (11-3)
9. Southaven (9-3)
10. Natchez (9-5)
11. Gulfport (6-5)
12. Brandon (7-3)
13 Harrison Central (9-3)
14. Hancock (5-6)
15. George County (7-5)
Lurking Around:  Hattiesburg (6-6), Starkville (4-8), Columbus (3-8),  Northwest Rankin (4-8), Pascagoula (2-9).

5A
1. West Point (14-1)
2. West Jones (11-1)
3. Wayne County (11-4)
4. New Hope (11-2)
5. Moss Point (11-3)
6. Ridgeland (10-3)
7. Pearl (9-4)
8. Picayune (8-4)
9. Brookhaven (5-6)
10. Oxford (6-6)
11. Stone County (6-5)
12. Neshoba Central (5-6)
13. Callaway (8-4)
14. McComb (3-8)
15. Gautier (7-5)
Lurking Around: Forest Hill (5-6), Hernando (6-6), Provine (4-7), St. Martin (4-7), Yazoo City (3-8).

4A
1. Lafayette County (14-2)
2. Noxubee County (12-2)
3. Shannon (11-2)
4. Greene County (10-5)
5. Forrest County AHS (10-3)
6. West Lauderdale (9-3)
7. St. Stanislaus (14-1)
8. Itawamba AHS (13-1)
9. Purvis (6-5)
10. Lawrence County (9-4)
11. Pontotoc (8-3)
12. Senatobia (9-3)
13. Louisville (9-5)
14. J.J. McClain (4-8)
15. New Albany (6-6)
Lurking Around: Kosciusko (5-7), South Pike (4-7), Cleveland (8-5), Quitman (6-6), Northeast Lauderdale (6-5), North Pike (8-5), Magee (9-3)

3A
1. Tylertown (15-0)
2. Aberdeen (13-3)
3. Charleston (13-1)
4. Forest (10-2)
5. Philadelphia (11-3)
6. Morton (13-2)
7. Franklin County (10-4)
8. Velma Jackson (10-3)
9. Perry Central (12-1)
10. Belmont (9-4)
11. Water Valley (7-5)
12. Booneville (13-1)
14. South Delta (8-4)
15. Leflore County (8-3)
Lurking Around: Corinth (6-5), Nettleton (9-4), Kemper County (7-5), East Side (8-4), Collins (7-6)

2A
1. Bassfield (14-2)
2. Taylorsville (11-3)
3. West Bolivar (14-1)
4. North Forrest (10-3)
5. Puckett (11-2)
6. Hollandale-Simmons (10-2)
7. Baldwyn (7-6)
8. Eupora (10-2)
9. East Webster (7-7)
10. Calhoun City (7-6)
11. Loyd Star (10-2)
12. Wesson (8-3)
13. Lumberton (8-4)
14. Ackerman (15-1)
15. Pisgah (10-2)
Lurking Around: Mize (8-5), Union (7-5). Mound Bayou Kennedy (5-6), Pelahatchie (7-5), Greenville O’Bannon (6-6), Walnut (7-4).

1A
1. Durant (13-2)
2. Mount Olive (10-5)
3. Nanih Waiya (11-2)
4. Smithville (10-1)
5. Sebastopol (11-3)
6. Okolona (9-4)
7. Vardaman (9-4)
8. Coffeeville (8-5)
9. Weir (10-3)
10. French Camp (7-4)
11. Greenville St. Joe (6-5)
12. Shaw (6-4)
13. Bogue Chitto (5-7)
14. Ray Brooks (4-6)
15. South Leake (6-6)
Lurking Around: Wheeler (5-6), Natchez Cathedral (4-7), Dexter (4-7), Noxapater (4-7), West Oktibbeha (5-6).

MAIS OVERALL
1. Jackson Academy (12-1)
2. Jackson Prep (10-3)
3. MRA (6-5)
4. Brookhaven (15-0)
5. Washington School (10-2)
6. Simpson Academy (11-2)
7. Pillow Academy (9-3)
8. Trinity Episcopal (12-3)
9. Lamar School (12-2)
10. DeSoto School (13-1)
11. Winston Academy (-5)
12. Centreville (9-4)
13. Copiah Academy (6-6)
14. Magnolia Heights (6-4)
15. Parklane (7-4)
Lurking Around: River Oaks (11-2), Marshall (10-2), Clarksdale Lee (4-7), Presbyterian Christian (5-6), Leake Academy (7-4), Indianola Academy (7-5).