Rock’s Locks: Prognosticating prime prep pigskin proceedings

Another week, another challenge.

Rock’s Locks went 9-4 last week to improve a little to 38-14 after the first four weeks of the season. That of course comes on the heels of a topsy-turvy first few weeks, where our head was spinning and taking a toll on the ole prep pigskin prognosticator. The result leaves us at 73 percent on the season.

Maybe it was the addition of the Pascagoula Men’s Club for the second straight season as the exclusive sponsor of Rock’s Locks that helped change our luck. Perhaps just the thought of the good times to come at the annual PMC Barbecue Throwdown coming on Oct. 13-14th was enough to clear our head and adjust our focus.

“It’s a lifetime commitment, recovering the satellites…”

Hancock quarterback Dylan Moran throws on the run vs. Moss Point in recent action. Photo by Jamey Foster / 228 Sports

Ocean Springs at Picayune — The “Kneed to See” Game of the Week sponsored by Bienville Sports Medicince Center/Encore Rehab takes place at Lee-Triplett Stadium this week as a pair of highly-ranked squads in the 228Sports “Super 7 Poll” square off. This marks the 23rd all-time meeting between these two teams on the gridiron, and the renewal of the series after an 11-year layoff. This, however, is just the fifth time the teams have faced off in the past 30 years. The teams have split the past four meetings, all of which have come in the past two decades. They seem fairly evenly matched on paper, but on the field, we like the home team…Picayune 23, Ocean Springs 20.
Hancock at Vancleave — The Hawks fly into Jackson County as the only unbeaten team at 4-0 in the “Southern Six” after four weeks of play. It appears on paper to be a match-up of two teams headed in completely opposite directions, as the Bulldogs are 1-3 and have suffered three consecutive losses after a season-opening win over still-winless St. Martin. Class 6A Hancock went on the road last week and thumped Class 7A Petal, and now this week faces Class 5A Vancleave. The math, and match-up, just seems to favor keeping both streaks intact. Hancock 34, Vancleave 21.
Pascagoula at Biloxi — This marks the 99th all-time meeting between the former Indian tribes that supposedly once gave the nickname “Singing River” to part of the Pascagoula River (google it). Both squads are coming off losses last week, and are looking to bounce back on the winning track Friday night. Most folks just might assume that arch-rivals Biloxi and Gulfport have faced each other more times than any other opponent in football, and they’d be correct as the teams have played around 100 times. However, that’s not the case with Pascagoula and its longtime arch-rival Moss Point, as actually, the Indians are the Panthers’ longest all-time rival. Pascagoula 16, Biloxi 14.

PASS CHRISTIAN RECEIVER COOPER SCHATZLE VIES FOR A BALL WITH LONG BEACH DEFENDER KENDARRIUS HOLMES FRIDAY NIGHT. (PHOTO BY ALBERT HENRION/228SPORTS)
East Central at St. Martin — A pair of squads desperately seeking success face off in west Jackson County, as the winless Yellow Jackets at 0-4 host the Hornets who are off to an uncharacteristically mediocre 1-3 start. It marks the first time East Central has started a season 1-3 since 2015, and St. Martin has dropped its first four games of a season for the first time in 12 seasons (2011). This is the renewal of a long-standing county rivalry between a pair of teams on the opposite end of the county. This is the 59th all-time meeting between the schools, but the first since 2016. We like the visitors. St. Martin has lost 11 consecutive games, and we see the Hornets keeping that streak alive. East Central 31, St. Martin 19.
Moss Point at West Harrison — These two teams have started the current campaign off in a much different fashion, as the 3-1 Hurricanes host the 1-3 Tigers in week five action. This is just the fifth meeting ever between the schools in the 15-season history of the WHHS program. The teams haven’t played in 12 years, since 2011, and West Harrison has never beaten Moss Point on the gridiron. Can history be made on Friday night….? Yes. West Harrison 20, Moss Point 16.
Bay High at Pearl River Central — Same song, different verse. Yet another pair of teams in need of a win clash this week at Kenneth Hendrix Stadium as the Tigers carry a 1-3 mark to Carriere to face the Blue Devils who have lost eight straight games and 13 out of their last 14 games dating back to the first week of last season. PRC is one of only two winless teams left in the “Southern Six”, along with St. Martin. We think the Tigers will keep that streak alive…Bay High 7, PRC 6.
Gulfport at Brandon — The Admirals sail away from the not-so-friendly at times confines of historic Milner Stadium for the first time this season this week heading to the Jackson area to face the perennial state power Bulldogs. This season marked the first time since 1930, or 93 years since Gulfport started the season with four straight home games. The fact that the Admirla split those four, including losing the past two, doesn’t bode well for their initial road trip of the season especially when BHS has won its last two. Brandon 17, Gulfport 14.