The Mississippi High School Activities Association is expanding to seven classifications for the first time ever in the upcoming school year.
But in all reality, that expansion won’t affect the football team at Bay High that much.
The Tigers once again remain in Region 8-4A, much as they have the past two decades. Also, Bay High alumnus Jeremy Turcotte is back for his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater as he tries to guide the Tigers to their third state playoff spot under his tutelage after missing the postseason last year.
Bay High also sees longtime league foes Moss Point, Pass Christian and Greene County back in Region 8-4A as well as newcomer Poplarville. Poplarville replaces the Stone Tomcats, moving from Region 7-4A to the “Southern Six” dominated Region 8-4A.
After making the Class 4A South State playoffs in Turcotte’s first two seasons in 2020 and 2021, the Tigers are coming off a 2-7 mark last season and a last-place finish in the five-team loop. Bay High started the season off at 2-1, but dropped its last six games last year including all four region games to finish at 2-7.
The Tigers will feature one of the top defensive linemen in the “Southern Six” this season in 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior and Stanford commit Zircon “Dank” Brown.
Turcotte’s fourth campaign at the helm of the Tigers kicks off in Pascagoula against Resurrection at War Memorial Stadium on Friday, Aug. 25th. It’ll mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron in the history of the two programs.
Here are the complete 2023 schedules for each team in Region 8-4A:
REGION 8-4A
BAY HIGH
Coach: Jeremy Turcotte
A. 25 at Resurrection
S. 1 St. Stanislaus
S. 8 at Long Beach
S. 15 West Harrison
S. 22 at Pearl River Central
S. 29 PCS
O. 6 at Moss Point
O. 13 Greene County
O. 20 at Poplarville
O. 26 Pass Christian
GREENE COUNTY
Coach: Michael King
A. 25 at West Harrison
S. 1 George County
S. 8 at Wayne County
S. 15 Forrest Co. AHS
S. 22 at Perry Central
S. 29 Pass Christian
O. 6 open
O. 13 at Bay High
O. 20 at Moss Point
O. 26 Poplarville
MOSS POINT
Coach: John Feaster
A. 25 Pascagoula
S. 1 Hancock
S. 8 St. Stanislaus
S. 15 at Gautier
S. 22 at West Harrison
S. 29 at Poplarville
O. 6 Bay High
O. 13 at Pass Christian
O. 20 Greene County
O. 26 open
PASS CHRISTIAN
Coach: Jeff Stockstill
A. 25 Long Beach
S. 1 Purvis
S. 8 at Pearl River Central
S. 15 at St. Stanislaus
S. 22 Northeast Jones
S. 29 at Greene County
O. 6 Poplarville
O. 13 Moss Point
O. 20 open
O. 26 at Bay High
POPLARVILLE
Coach: Jay Beech
A. 25 Jefferson Davis County
S. 1 at Stone
S. 8 at Newton County
S. 15 at Pearl River Central
S. 22 West Jones
S. 29 Moss Point
O. 6 at Pass Christian
O. 13 Tylertown
O. 20 Bay High
O. 26 at Greene County
