Clinton Arrows will compete this year in Class 7A

By Danny C. Davis

Once again this season, the landscape for Arrow football opponents will change.

Last year, the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s governing board moved to create a new larger classification for sports competition. The top twenty-four schools in MHSAA will be in the larger Class 7A. The new classification enrollment numbers are based on student population in grades nine through eleven. Based on enrollment numbers from fall of 2022 that were quoted by MHSAA during the reclassification announcement, Clinton High School is the seventh largest school in Mississippi, with a student enrollment of 1,328 in grades nine through eleven.

This classification change marks the first change for CHS since the Arrows moved up from Class 5A to Class 6A in 2009.

The new Class 7A classification for football will have twelve teams in North Class 7A, split into two regions with six teams each. Class 7A South will also have twelve teams in two regions of six teams each.

But, for the Region 2-7A, things got a little more difficult when Jackson Murrah declined to compete in the new Region 2-7A in football and baseball.

So, because of Jackson Murrah not participating in football, Region 2-7A will consist of only five teams instead of six: Clinton, Tupelo, Starkville, Madison Central and Germantown.
With only five teams participating in the new Region 2-7A, Arrow Athletic Director and head coach Judd Boswell was forced to schedule six non-region games for this coming season before the final four Region 2-7A games.

After a two-year absence, the Arrows renew their old rivalry with Warren Central, who did not move up to Class 7A. The two rivals, who first played in 1965, will open the season on August 25 in the annual Red Carpet Bowl at Vicksburg.

The Arrows will then host Northwest Rankin of Region 3-7A on September 1, followed by a trip to old-time rival Brandon, also of Region 3-7A, on September 8. Brandon has been runner-up Class 6A champions the past two years. Clinton will then host Class 6A Grenada on September 15 and travel to Class 6A South Panola on September 22. On September 29, the Arrows will play Class 6A Terry for the first time since 2008.

After an open date on October 6, CHS will face all four new Region 2-7A opponents in a row, beginning with defending Class 6A champions Starkville on the road on October 13. The Arrows will then host Tupelo on October 20 and host Germantown on October 27. They will close the regular season at rival Madison Central on November 3.

“We have six tough games to get ready for our region that we feel will be the toughest in all classifications,” said Boswell. “We look forward to the challenge.”