The 2023 prep football campaign started off under fairly normal circumstances for the most part a few weeks ago. But for at least a few teams in the “Southern Six”, the regular season certainly won’t end that way.
For a quartet of the biggest squads on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the implementation of expansion in classifications brings about a new ending for the regular season schedule as well.
For the first time in 42 years, perennial arch-rivals Gulfport and Biloxi will not close out the regular season against one another. Instead, the Indians and Admirals will face off in week seven, on Friday, Oct., 5th, to open the first-ever Region 4-7A schedule for each team. Also in Region 4-7A play, Ocean Springs and St. Martin will close the regular season against one another for the first time in almost two decades, as they will meet on Thursday, Nov 2nd.
In other new regular season-ending match-ups, Pascagoula will host George County in a Region 4-6A battle. It will be the first-time in history that that the two schools known as Pascagoula High and George County High School will close out the season against one another. But Lucedale High and PHS ended the 1931 season against one another some 92 years ago. On that same night of Thursday, Nov. 2nd, Picayune will host Hancock marking the first time ever that those two squads end the regular season against one another. Also, In Class 5A, Vancleave closes the season regular against Laurel for the first time ever as does Gautier vs. Laurel.
SUPER 7 IN THE SOUTHERN 6
SUPER 7 IN THE SOUTHERN SIX Poll Week 3!
(Sponsored by Grand Mag Music)
The votes are in for Week Three.
Each week, throughout the school year, a staff of our sports writers will vote on the “Super 7” teams for that week based on results from action the week before and we will publish our rankings each Tuesday afternoon.
The rankings will encompass ALL seven classifications:
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Week Three:
- Gulfport
- Picayune
- Pascagoula
- Hancock
- Ocean Springs
- George County
- Pass Christian
(Others receiving votes: St.Stanislaus, Biioxi, Harrison Central, Vancleave, Gautier, Poplarville)
228Sports Player of The Week
Each week the sports staff at 228Sports will also pick a Player of the Week which is sponsored by TurfMasters of Pascagoula.
The second player honored is St. Stanislaus quarterback Ian Gael Gonzalez Rioz.
On Friday night, the Rocks moved to 2-0 with a big 51-21 win over arch-rival Bay High in the annual “Battle for the Crab Trap”. Rioz rushed for almost 160 yards and three touchdowns as well as throwing for two more scores. In just two games playing American football, the native of Mexico has accounted for well over 500 yards of total offense and nine touchdowns.
