The past several seasons have marked the most successful span on the football field in the history of Ocean Springs High School.
But the times are changing, as the Greyhounds look to maintain that prosperous perspective while in the process of a promotion.
Gone are both former head coach Blake Pennock as well as two-time Class 6A “Mr. Football” Bray Hubbard. Pennock moved about 20 miles west down the coast to Gulfport, while Hubbard trekked 200-plus miles northeast to Tuscaloosa leaving two glaring holes in the recent success of the past few seasons.
Ocean Springs has enjoyed back-to-back undefeated regular season runs in the past two campaigns, and are the two-time defending Region 4-6A champs.
Defending that crown won’t be an option this season, however, as the Mississippi Activities Association expanded classifications for the first time in 15 years and added a Class 7A for the first time ever.
The Greyhounds went 12-1 last season, winning a dozen straight games before losing in excruciating fashion to Brandon at home in the Class 6A South State championship game 34-31 the day after Thanksgiving on a field goal as time expired.
The loss ended a three-year span under Pennock that saw the Greyhounds go 32-5 in his three seasons, and OSHS will enter the 2023 campaign on a 14-game region win streak.
But the Greyhounds will do so with a new head coach in charge, as OSHS offensive coordinator Jake Bramlett moves up to the top spot. And, as Ocean Springs looks to continue its dominance in region play, it will do so in a new league after the expansion by the MHSAA also.
As Bramlett enters his first season at the helm of the ‘Hounds, Ocean Springs will join the newly named Region 4-7A, and although the region is new five familiar foes are joining OSHS to comprise the loop in Pennock’s new team at Gulfport as well as Biloxi, D’Iberville, St. Martin and Harrison Central all move up from the same region in 6A as does the Greyhounds to form the new league.
The Greyhounds kick off the “Jake Bramlett Era” on Friday, Aug. 25th traveling to Madison Central.
Here is the complete list of team schedules for Region 4-7A:
REGION 4-7A
BILOXI
Coach: Katlan French
A. 25 Stone
S. 1 at Meridian
S. 8 George County
S. 15 at Hattiesburg
S. 22 Pascagoula
S. 29 open
O. 5 at Gulfport
O. 13 St. Martin
O. 20 at Ocean Springs
O. 27 Harrison Central
N. 2 at D’Iberville
D’IBERVILLE
Coach: Josh Ladner
A. 25 Columbia
S. 1 at Gautier
S. 8 Picayune
S. 15 Pascagoula
S. 22 open
S. 29 at Wayne County
O. 6 at Ocean Springs
O. 13 Gulfport
O. 20 at Harrison Central
O. 27 at St. Martin
N. 2 Biloxi
GULFPORT
Coach: Blake Pennock
A. 25 Gautier
S. 1 Vancleave
S. 8 Madison Central
S. 15 Picayune
S. 22 at Brandon
S. 29 open
O. 6 Biloxi
O. 13 at D’Iberville
O. 20 at St. Martin
O. 27 Ocean Springs
N. 2 at Harrison Central
HARRISON CENTRAL
Coach: Tony Myers
A. 25 vs. Ridgeland (at Gulfport)
S. 1 open
S. 8 at Quitman
S. 15 at Tylertown
S. 22 Mendenhall
S. 29 Meridian
O. 6 at St. Martin
O. 13 Ocean Springs
O. 20 D’Iberville
O. 27 at Biloxi
N. 2 Gulfport
OCEAN SPRINGS
Coach: Jake Bramlett
A. 25 at Madison Central
S. 1 Scotlandville (La.)
S. 8 at Northwest Rankin
S. 15 Natchez
S. 22 at Picayune
S. 29 open
O. 6 D’Iberville
O. 13 at Harrison Central
O. 20 Biloxi
O. 27 at Gulfport
N. 2 St. Martin
ST. MARTIN
Coach: Ty Smith
A. 25 at Vancleave
S. 1 Petal
S. 8 at Hancock
S. 15 at Stone
S. 22 East Central
S. 29 open
O. 6 Harrison Central
O. 13 at Biloxi
O. 20 Gulfport
O. 27 D’Iberville
N. 2 at Ocean Springs
