After missing the state playoffs for the past two seasons, the football team at Pascagoula High School is hoping an orgaizational shake up across the state will result in the Panthers finding their way back to the postseason.
The Mississippi High School Activities Association has expanded to seven classifications for the first time ever beginning with this school year, but Pascagoula is staying up not only in Class 6A but also in Region 4-6A as well. However, only one of the Panthers’ neighbors remain in the new alignment, while four other foes with familiar faces to PHS move up from Class 5A to comprise the new region.
Hancock is the only holdover from the remains of Region 4-6A along with PHS from last season, and those two squads will join two-time defending Class 5A state champ powerful Picayune as well as George County, Long Beach and West Harrison in the new league.
The last time the Panthers were in the playoffs was 2020, when Pascagoula made a deep run in the Class 5A South State playoffs eventually falling to West Jones in thrilling fashion 18-16 with a trip to the state championship game on the line.
Pascagoula head coach Lewis Sims is in his 13th season at the helm of the Panthers. He is the “dean” of prep football coaches in the “Southern Six” with the longest tenure in the area. He served three seasons as the head coach at his alma mater Moss Point before crossing over Jefferson Street and taking command of the arch-rival Panthers.
Pascagoula went 4-6 in each of the past two seasons in missing the playoffs.
The 13th season of the “Lewis Sims Era” at Pascagoula High School begins with a trip back across Jefferson St. and a meeting with his former squad on Friday, Aug. 25th, in the renewal of the annual “The Battle of the Cats”.
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
