Hinds AHS has never shied away from scheduling bigger schools. The gap between the War Dawgs and their opponents, though, has never been this big.

Hinds opens the season on Friday night against Raymond, a Class 4A rival located about 20 miles east on Mississippi 18. It’s the first of two consecutive non-region games against 4A schools for Hinds, which moved to Class 1A in the last Mississippi High School Activities Association realignment.

“Being here at Hinds AHS, there’s no intimidation at all. Most of the teams we’re going against are 3A and 4A,” Hinds coach Michael Fields said. “We’re used to being outnumbered and outtalented. Until last year, we had never faltered.”

Hinds posted a 1-9 record last season. The good news is, the one victory was a 22-17 decision over Raymond, which endured a woeful 2-9 season of its own.

“It tests our character. Coming off a 1-9 season, we’ve got a lot of question marks,” Fields said. “If we can’t rise to the occasion for this game, it’s going to be a long year.”