And as the calendar turns to October, the league games take on even more meaning each week. Most of our squads in Class 4A and Class 3A in the “Southern Six” join the league fray this Friday.
Rock’s Locks went 9-4 last week, and now stands 46-19 on the year for a winning percentage of 71 percent.
“Summer has come and passed, the innocent can never last…wake me up, when September ends”
- Picayune at Vancleave (Game of the Week) — A battle of the unbeatens in week two of Region 4-5A action takes place in Vancleave, as the mighty Maroon Tide roll into town. This marks the first time since 2010 that the Bulldogs have started a season at 4-0. These teams have only met three times ever, and the first was a first-round playoff win for VHS over Picayune in that same season 12 years ago in the same venue as this weeks game. None of that will matter Friday night, though...Picayune 34, Vancleave 16.
- D’Iberville at Ocean Springs — The Warriors limp across the county line dragging a four-game losing streak with them, the longest for DHS in five seasons. On the other end of the spectrum, the Greyhounds are standing a strong 4-0 and have their sights set squarely on a second straight unbeaten regular season. I don’t see either streak ending this week. Ocean Springs 31, D’Iberville 21.
- Pascagoula at Gulfport — The Panthers head to historic Milner Stadium to meet the home-standing Admirals in Region 4-6A play. Gulfport began league play with a work-man-like 21-7 win over St. Martin on the road, while PHS fell to visiting Harrison Central 44-31. Those facors don’t appear to be in favor of the Panthers in this 89th renewal of one of the longest-standing all-time series on the Gulf Coast. Gulfport 27, Pascagoula 13.
- East Central at Pearl River Central — The Hornets are one of just four unbeaten teams left in the “Southern Six”, and they put that perfect mark on the line in Carriere against the hap-less Blue Devils this week. Expect East Central to continue its “Ground and Pound” attack in fine fashion against PRC. This one could get ugly fairly quickly. East Central 44, PRC 6.
- Gautier at Long Beach — The Gators slide into Lumpkin-Magee Stadium to face the win-less Bearcats in Region 4-5A play, looking to move to 2-0 in league play after a big win over George County last week. Everything points to the same type of situation in this one as in the other contest in this loop that we just mentioned in Carriere, except expect Gautier to air it out mostly instead of running the ball but the results will be much the same as the game about 40 miles to the north. Gautier 45, Long Beach 7.
- Stone at Moss Point — The Tigers will welcome back members of the 1997 Class 5A state championship team and honor the 25th celebration of that milestone at Homecoming against the visiting Tomcats Friday night. Other than that memory, there hasn’t been much to celebrate for MPHS so far this season, as the Tigers have started the season 0-5 for the second time in three seasons. Stone has been a bit inconsistent as well, but at 2-2 has had more success so far than has the Tigers. Stone 21, Moss Point 19.
- Biloxi at Harrison Central — A pair of teams looking to move to 2-0 in early Region 4-6A play face off at Earl Phillips Stadium in Lyman, as the homestanding Red Rebels welcome in the Indians. Biloxi stands 3-1 and has won three straight after starting the season with a close loss to unbeaten East Central. I think the big road win over D’Ibervile last week will be enough to continue to propel the Indians in the right direction. Biloxi 23, HCHS 20. A six pack to go: Resurrection 31, Salem 7
West Harrison 21, George County 20
St. Martin 27, Hancock 23
Greene County 26, Bay High 17
Poplarville 41, Purvis 14
St. Stanislaus 14, Lakeshore, La. 13
