[08/20/01] Rarely in the 38-year history of the Red Carpet Bowl have matchups attracted much attention.

This year is the exception.

The main event will feature a battle between Class 5A heavyweights Warren Central and Wayne County. The Vikings are ranked No. 4 and the War Eagles are No. 3 in The Clarion-Ledger’s preseason poll.

Vicksburg High takes on Louisiana Class 5A semifinalist John Ehret in the opener. The New Orleans team went 12-2 last season while the Gators were 7-4.

The four teams combined for a 40-11 record in 2000. Three made the playoffs and Wayne County lost in the Mississippi Class 5A semifinals to eventual state champion Moss Point.

It’s no wonder then, that first-year RCB chairman Charlie McKinnie is smiling.

“This should be one of the best matchups with Wayne County coming in third and Warren Central fourth,” McKinnie said. “I knew they were good, but I didn’t know they’d be No. 3.

“Some of the previous games have been cakewalks, but these two look to be very good.”

In the last decade, only two Red Carpet Bowls have matched such quality opponents, at least on paper.

In 1993, No. 4 Warren Central beat defending Class 4A state champion and No. 7 South Pike, 27-20. The Vikings went on to the state championship game that year.

In 1992, 11th-ranked Vicksburg High stunned No. 7 Louisville, 23-7.

Warren Central entered the 1996 game ranked No. 5, but lost to East Central, 9-3.

“I’m sure there’s been some good ones over the years,” said Warren Central coach Robert Morgan, whose team finished 2000 with a 9-3 record and a playoff appearance. “But this one is going to be right there with them.

“What else can you ask for being a football fan, a player or a coach? This is where you put it on the line.”

The matchups are surprising when figuring the hoops RCB members had to jump through to get opponents.

Officials said they look for teams in Class 4A or 5A, but most of them do not want to play a game that doesn’t have a guaranteed return visit.

Wayne County had an opening on its schedule and John Ehret will play because a showcase tournament in Jackson fell through.

“You kind of have to stay with the 5A teams and there aren’t that many teams that want to play two years in a row on the road,” McKinnie said.

“We’ve had good success finding teams in the past and I expect success in the future.”

Morgan, who was watching game film of Wayne County’s spring game against Picayune on Friday, said the rankings are important, but there are still many unknowns.

“Rankings make things interesting,” Morgan said. “But we don’t know how good we are or how good they are. But it should be very exciting.”

Wayne County, which will be playing Warren Central for the first time since the Vikings’ state championship season of 1994, saw a resurgence last season under coach Bobby Hall, who won three state championships at Amory (1994, ’95, ’98) and one at Louisville (1991).

Hall left this year for Northeast Mississippi Community College, leaving the team in the hands of assistant Marcus Boyles.

Boyles led Taylorsville to back-to-back Class 2A state championships before going to Pearl.

Morgan beat Boyles the last time the two met in 1999, a 24-13 decision in the second game of the year.

“They have a lot of people coming back and have a lot of talented athletes,” Morgan said.

“That makes this game a great challenge for our kids and our coaches.”