AP and staff reports

The Bulldogs have their work cut out for them.

Mississippi’s top 20 high school football teams were announced Tuesday by the Associated Press, and three of Natchez High School’s district 6-5A opponents rank in the top 10.

Provine, 13-2 last year, is ranked fifth in the state. Natchez will travel to Jackson to face the team on Sept. 29.

Meridian, 7-5 last year, is ranked ninth, and will play Natchez at home Oct. 20.

The very next week, however, Natchez will travel to eighth-ranked Brandon, which went 9-4 last year.

&uot;We’re not going to look at the schedule and say ‘uh-oh,’&uot; said Natchez coach Mo Lyles. &uot;We knew we had a tough district.

&uot;But I didn’t know all those teams would be ranked,&uot; he added.

Though the Bulldogs’ schedule is sure to be challenging, Lyles thinks the opponents’ state rankings can be used to his team’s advantage.

&uot;Nobody expects you to beat the top teams,&uot; he said. &uot;That gives us a little fuel to work that much harder and play that much harder.&uot;

On Sept. 1, Natchez hosts Gulfport, 11-2 last year and tied for 16th in the state this year.

&uot;I think all those teams were playoff teams last year,&uot; Lyles said. &uot;We knew they’d be good this year.&uot;

Luckily for Natchez, the Bulldogs won’t face any other teams on the list until the post-season, if they make it that far.

Madison Central won its first Class 5A championship last year and will start the 2000 season as the No. 1 team in the state.

The Jaguars finished 15-0 in 1999 and return three of the state’s top players in running back Sylvester Brown, wide receiver Mike Espy and tackle Chris Spencer.

”We’re the champions, but we’ve got to play our way back into it,” said coach Mike Justice, whose team received 12 first-place-votes out of 14.

South Panola finished 10-3 last season, but failed to play for a 5A title for the first time since 1995. The Tigers begin the season ranked second. Clinton, with running back Coco Hodge and wide receiver Clarence McDougal, starts the season ranked third. No. 4 Moss Point is led by quarterback Damarius Bilbo.

The Little 10, comprised of Class 2A, 1A and academy teams, starts with Booneville, the defending Class 2A champions. The Blue Devils, like Madison Central, also went 15-0 last season. They have played for the 2A title three straight seasons. Booneville received four first-place votes, as did No. 2 Ruleville.

Ruleville features record-breaking running back Noah Ingram. Ingram rushed for a Mississippi high school record 3,411 yards and scored 44 touchdowns for the Tigers in 1999. His coach, James Johnson, says the 5-10, 210-pound senior will be even better in 2000.

”He got a lot stronger over the summer and really has improved his overall game,” Johnson said.

Ackerman is tied with Ruleville in the second spot. No. 4 Philadelphia received three first-place votes. No. 5 Scott Central received two first-place votes.

No. 9 Pillow Academy also received a first-place vote in The Little 10.