A look Ahead: 7 games in the “Southern 6” to keep an eye on this week

Several squads in the “Southern Six” are unbeaten as we head into the third week of prep football action, while yet a few others are still searching for their first win of the season as we sail into the post-Labor Day waters without our Captain from Pascagoula…

Here are seven games to keep an eye on in the “Southern Six” this week:

1. Picayune at D’Iberville — The Maroon Tide limps into Harrison County after having their state-wide best 27-game win streak snapped last week at the hands of Catholic High of Baton Rouge 36-35 in overtime. Ironically enough, Warrior Stadium/Buddy Singleton Field is the last place Picayune lost a game before last week and it’s still the last venue in which the Maroon Tide lost to a team from Mississippi. D’Iberville is off to an 0-2 start, and the Class 7A Warriors, who lost to a Class 4A and a Class 5A team in the past two weeks, are about to embark on a “Murder’s Row” of strong opponents on their schedule in. the next five games facing Picayune, Pascagoula, Wayne County, Ocean Springs and Gulfport.
2. George County at Biloxi – The Rebels head to the Biloxi Sports Complex for the first time in eight seasons Friday night to renew this on-and-off rivalry in the “Southern Six” George County is off to its first 2-0 start in seven seasons after the Rebels brought back home the “Battle of the Bell” with a 41-28 win over home-standing and arch-rival Greene County Friday night at Johnny Ainsworth Stadium in Leakesville. The Indians scurry back to their friendly confines after taking a gut-punch on the road from Meridian in a 42-14 loss last week.
3. Gautier at Pascagoula — The renewal of the annual “Singing River Classic” takes place this week at War Memorial Stadium as the Panthers host the rival Gators. Pascagoula is off to its first 2-0 start in four years, with two straight road wins including a 34-7 thumping of East Central last week. Meanwhile, the Gators glide a few miles east down U.S. Highway 90 coming off their first win of the season after a 41-20 swamping of visiting D’Iberville last week.

   

4. Bay High at Long Beach — Something’s gotta give when the Bearcats host the neighboring Tigers Friday night at Lumpkin-Magee Stadium just up the street from the Winn Dixie. After all, Long Beach is on a state-wide longest 28-game losing streak after falling 28-7 to visiting Forrest County AHS last week, and Bay High is off to a 0-2 start this season after losing to Class 1A Resurrection in the opening week and then losing the annual “Battle for the Crab Trap” last week to visiting St. Stanislaus 51-21. The Tigers have now lost eight straight games dating back to last season.
5. St. Martin at Hancock – Two teams headed in completely opposite directions early in the current campaign collide this week at Brett Fave Field in the Kiln, as the home-standing Hawks sit at 2-0 after a 52-27 mauling of Moss Point last week and the Yellow Jackets are 0- after falling at home to visiting Petal 54-31. In fact, St. Martin which has started a season at 0-2 for the first time in three years, is riding a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season. Hancock is 2-0 for the second time in three seasons and looks to be 3-0 for the first time in four years.
6. St. Stanislaus at Moss Point — The Rocks roll into Dantzler Street with a perfect 2-0 mark after bombing Bay High 51-21 in the annual “Battle for the Crab Trap’ last week, while the Tigers are still searching for their first win under new head coach John Feaster. Moss Point fell to yet another Hancock County squad last week in a 52-27 decision to visit Hancock High. The Rocks look to move to 3-0 for the first time in three seasons, while MPHS looks to avoid an 0-2 start to the season for the fourth time in the past five campaigns.
7. Madison Central at Gulfport — Yet another “Southern Six” squad that is 2-0 looking for win number three this week when the Admirals host a game for the third straight week under new head coach Blake Pennock and welcome in the Jaguars from the Jackson area. This marks just the third overall meeting between the Admirals and the Jaguars, and MCHS won both previous meetings with the last game coming eight years ago.