It’s been 16 years since the football team at George County High School won a game in the state playoffs.
But now, with the Mississippi High School Activities Association expanding to seven classifications for the first time ever, the Rebels are moving up a class and hope to change that postseason streak as well.
George County’s last playoff win was perhaps the biggest postseason victory in program history, and that came when the Rebels smashed then-perennial state power Meridian on the road at Ray Stadium 33-14 in the Class 5A South State finals in late November of 2007. The following week, the Rebels fought hard against the South Panolia in GCHS’s only-ever appearance in the football state championship before falling 28-21.
That loss started a string of setbacks that continue now, some 17 years later, as the Rebels have dropped six consecutive playoff openers including a 59-20 thumping at the hands of visiting Laurel two years to open the Class 5A South State playoffs.
Head coach James Ray enters his fourth season at the helm of the Lucedale squad. The Rebels have missed the state playoffs in four of the past six seasons, including last season, qualifying in 2021 and 2019.
The Rebels move up to Region 4-6A in the expansion of classes and join a revamped region that includes both Pascagoula and Hancock as holdovers as well as three other teams that moved up a class with GCHS in Long Beach, West Harrison and two-time defending state champion and perennial power Picayune in the revamped region.
The fourth season of the “James Ray Era” at George County kicks off in Gill-Martin Stadium in Lucedale on Fri., Aug., 25th as the East Central Hornets head north up U.S. Highway 63 a few miles to renew a neighboring rivalry with the Rebels.
Here is the complete list of team schedules for Region 4-6A
REGION 4-6A
GEORGE COUNTY
Coach: James Ray
A. 25 East Central
S. 1 at Greene County
S. 8 at Biloxi
S. 15 at Vancleave
S. 22 Wayne County
S. 29 Hattiesburg
O. 6 Long Beach
O. 13 at Hancock
O. 20 West Harrison
O. 27 Picayune
N. 2 at Pascagoula
HANCOCK
Coach: Neil Lollar
A. 25 at Natchez
S. 1 at Moss Point
S. 8 St. Martin
S. 15 at Petal
S. 22 at Vancleave
S. 29 Florence
O. 6 at West Harrison
O. 13 George County
O. 20 at Pascagoula
O. 27 Long Beach
N. 2 at Picayune
LONG BEACH
Coach: Jacob Massey
A. 25 at Pass Christian
S. 1 Forrest Co. AHS
S. 8 Bay High
S. 15 at Purvis
S. 22 at Petal
S. 29 South Jones
O. 6 at George County
O. 13 Pascagoula
O. 20 Picayune
O. 27 at Hancock
N. 2 West Harrison
PASCAGOULA
Coach: Lewis Sims
A. 25 at Moss Point
S. 1 at East Central
S. 8 Gautier
S. 15 at D’Iberville
S. 22 at Biloxi
S. 29 open
O. 6 Picayune
O. 13 at Long Beach
O. 20 Hancock
O. 27 at West Harrison
N. 2 George County
PICAYUNE
Coach: Cody Stogner
A. 25 at Brandon
S. 1 Catholic (La.)
S. 8 at D’Iberville
S. 15 at Gulfport
S. 22 Ocean Springs
S. 29 open
O. 6 at Pascagoula
O. 13 West Harrison
O. 20 at Long Beach
O. 27 at George County
N. 2 Hancock
WEST HARRISON
Coach: Quincy Patrick
A. 25 Greene County
S. 1 Sumrall
S. 8 at East Marion
S. 15 at Bay High
S. 22 Moss Point
S. 29 open
O. 6 Hancock
O. 13 at Picayune
O. 20 at George County
O. 27 Pascagoula
N. 2 at Long Beach
