This Malakoff Tigers Sports Minute is brought to you by Cooper Insures
In a hard-fought battle that showcased the heart of a champion, Malakoff defeated Winnsboro 24-7 on Friday night to close out the regular season. Strong defense and special teams play propelled the Tigers to their fifth straight win and secured the No. 2 playoff seed in District 7-3A.
Malakoff finished the regular season 7-3 overall and 5-1 in district play. Technically, the Tigers share the district title after Commerce fell to Mount Vernon 32-27, but Commerce holds the top playoff seed by virtue of its head-to-head win over Malakoff earlier in the season.
The Tigers are making their 16th playoff appearance in the past 17 years. They’ll open the Class 3A Division I Region II playoffs Thursday night against Texarkana Liberty-Eylau, a rematch of the 2024 regional final. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School. Liberty-Eylau enters the postseason 5-5.
Meanwhile, the Malakoff girls basketball team tipped off its 2025-26 season Friday with a home matchup against Maypearl.