Rock's Locks: Prognosticating prime prep pigskin proceedings

If we ever need a change, this is the time for it.

Rock’s Locks has been a steady feature in several daily newspapers (remember those?) and now on the intraweb across South Mississippi for much of the past three decades. Each week we attempt to provide some insight with some prep pigskin prognosticator picks and see where the chips may fall.

Unfortunately, we’re off to one of our worst starts to a season in many, many years after perhaps our worst single week of outcomes in the history of these weekly picks.

We went a paltry 6-7 last week in our selections, and after some fairly thorough research we discovered it to be our worst week of picking in the history of Rock’s Locks.

Sad days indeed y’all….

Biloxi quarterback Zachary Marlin looks for a receiver as Hayden Ainsworth blocks George County’s Tyron Coleman. (Tim Isbell/228 Sports)

This week we hope the addition of the Pascagoula Men’s Club for the second straight season as the exclusive sponsor of Rock’s Locks will help change our luck. Perhaps just the thought of the good times to come at the annual PMC Barbecue Throwdown coming on Oct. 13-14th will clear our head and adjust our focus.

“I can’t sleep, I been up all night…”

Picayune at Gulfport (“Kneed to See” GotW) — Just like Rock’s Locks, many observers expected better starts to the current campaign for the Maroon Tide and Admirals. Although both are a respectable 2-1, myself and many others thought this might be an early season battle of unbeatens. The reality of it is that one of these two teams will be an even 2-2 after four weeks of action, and we think that squad will be GHS. Picayune 28, Gulport 13.
Pascagoula at D’Iberville — Two teams that have started the prep football season out on completely opposite paths face off at Warrior Stadium on Buddy Singleton Field this week, as the unbeaten 3-0 Panthers come calling on the winless Warriors at 0-3. D’Iberville looks to avoid its first 0-4 start in 15 seasons, since 2008, and PHS is after its first 4-0 start since 2012 when it made a run to the state championship game. This will be the ninth meeting on the gridiron between these schools in the past 11 seasons, and DHS has won five straight and seven of the last eight meetings since the series was renewed in 2013 after a 15-year absence. That all changes Friday night…Pascagoula 31, D’Iberville 16.
Moss Point at Gautier — The Tigers got their first win of the season under first year mentor John Feaster beating St. Stanislaus, and they hope to continue that sudden success on their first road trip of the season. Both teams stand 1-2 on the year, and the Gators couldn’t hold an early 20-0 lead last week in a 28-27 loss to rival Pascagoula. The Tigers and the Gators meet for the 16th time in the past 17 seasons on Friday night, and GHS has won two straight in the series and three of the last four. We expect this to be a tough tussle between neighboring rivals. We’ll stick with the home-field advantage. Gautier 20, Moss Point 18.
Pass Christian at St. Stanislaus — The Pirates and the Rocks meet for the 48th time in series history Friday night, as PCHS is also one of the few unbeaten teams left in the “Southern Six” after the first three weeks of the season. The Pirates have also won three straight over SSC and four of the past five meetings. The game features two coaches in their first year at their respective schools, Tim Lala at SSC and Jeff Stockstill at Pass Christian, and each will be getting their first tastes in the top spot of this longtime rivalry, which is one of the longest standing all-time series’ on the gridiron for both schools. Pass Christian 27, SSC 24.

Vancleave quarterback Hunter Parker takes the snap to hand off to running back Kyle Capers. (Tim Isbell/228 Sports)
George County at Vancleave — In a bit of a schedule rarity, the Rebels hit the road for the third straight week as they visit the Bulldogs. Both teams need a win, as both are coming off uninspired losses last week. This series was a region rivalry for the past two seasons, but things changed with the recent expansion and this is actually only the eighth meeting all-time between the two schools in football. George County 12, Vancleave 7.
West Harrison at Bay High — The Hurricanes head to McCulloch Stadium in the Bay to face the home-standing Tigers and each team is coming off a win. Bay High is 1-2, and WHHS is 2-1 on the season, and this will mark the 10th meeting in the past 11 seasons between these teams on the gridiron. This has been a closely contested series over that span, and I expect it to continue…West Harrison 23, Bay High 14.
St. Martin at Stone — There is a quartet of teams in the “Southern Six” that have yet to win a game this season so far and two of them face off in Perkinston at A.L.May Stadium on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this week. The 0-2 Tomcats host the 0-3 Yellow Jackets in a contest pitting a pair of squads desperately in need of a win. St.Martin has actually lost 10 straight games dating back to last season, while the Tomcats are looking for their first win under new head coach Jacob Aycock. Stone 17, St. Martin 6.