NATCHEZ — The first four weeks of the 2011 football season were a successful tuneup for the Natchez High School football team. Now after a week to recharge its battery the team will travel to Meridian to begin the seven-game journey that will determine its postseason fate.

Friday’s game between Natchez and Meridian will be a battle of two unbeaten teams playing their first Region 3-6A game of the season.

“It is important to get off on a good foot in district to put ourselves in a good position for the playoffs,” Natchez coach Lance Reed said.

Meridian, who was state runner-up last season, will provide a stiff challenge for the Bulldogs, Reed said.

“They are one of the top-ranked teams in 6A (MHSAA No. 3),” Reed said. “They play great defense, and really swarm to the football. They are athletic and fast, and they base everything off tough defensive play. They have an exciting quarterback who is athletic and makes plays. They are a solid team all-around.”

Reed said his team focused more on what they do than what Meridian does this past week.

“We are really focused on ourselves,” he said. “Our mentality is if we improve ourselves then it doesn’t matter what the other team does.”

Natchez started its 2011 season off with four wins against Wilkinson County, Jefferson County, Ferriday and Warren Central. Reed said he thinks his team’s pre-region schedule prepared his team for region play.

“We hope (it prepared us),” he said. “We faced some local teams, and even though they are not 6A programs we felt they brought viable competition.”

Reed said the key to Friday’s game will be his team’s ability to focus in a big-game atmosphere.

“We have to be able to get through whatever Meridian brings to us,” he said. “We need to get through the excitement and rush of a big-time atmosphere versus a big team. Once things settle down we just need to make a play at the end to win it.”

Natchez (4-0) will travel to Meridian (4-0), and kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday.