The last time I rode a horse was in the 1970s and I was the unfortunate soul who had to ride bareback.
My wife, Darlene, and I were chaperones for a horseback riding excursion for our church. When we got to the stables, we were told that a barn fire had destroyed a bunch of saddles and they were one short.
I thought, no problem, I’m young and will give bareback a try. Big mistake, big, huge to quote Vivian from the movie “Pretty Woman.’’ The horse had a backbone like a 2 by 4. To say the horse “rubbed me the wrong way’’ is an understatement.
I couldn’t wait to get back to the barn, and so did the horse as it broke into a gallop. It was all I could do to stay on. I yelled “Wooo Nellie,’’ squeezed my legs and grabbed a handful of manes.
Thankfully, I didn’t fall off, but I could hardly walk for days.
Why, you may ask, is he writing a horseback riding story with the high school football season kicking off on Friday? Well, thanks to 228 Sports, I’m back in the saddle (not bareback this time) with the rebirth of Wick’s Picks.
I wrote the prep football picks column for the Mississippi Press starting in the 1970s when I was sports editor. The last one appeared in the Press probably in August of 1991 or 1992 before I moved into the news department around that time.
I look forward to writing Wick’s Picks again. I don’t have the knowledge of local teams and players I once did, but I hope to get up to speed as the season goes along.
I also hope readers of 228 Sports will enjoy following my picks each week. I will chart my successes and failures just as teams do. I hope to reach 75 percent as I did one year, but I’ll settle for 60 to 65 percent.
My picks received plenty of feedback over the years. Some fans and players loved to let me know I was wrong when I incorrectly picked their team to lose.
I often could feel the eyes of many fans burning a hole in my back as I climbed the stadium steps to the press box. But that’s part of the fun of athletics—the rivalries, the give and take, the boasting, the winning and the losing.
A coach once told me he put my prediction of his team on the blackboard in the locker room as motivation for his players. I don’t recall if his ploy worked or not.
I had several coaches ask me to pick their teams to lose, which I declined to do unless I was going to pick them to lose anyway. Coaches will use just about anything to fire up their players.
I won’t be picking every game being played in the six coastal counties each week. I’ll talk with the other 228 writers, and we will come up with the games to predict.
We at 228 Sports would love to hear your feedback. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
So here goes Wick’s Picks for the start of the 2024 season.
Moss Point at Pascagoula: The Battle of the Cats is filled with history. Some of Mississippi’s greatest high school football players starred in the game. Names like Wonsley, Costic, Matthews and Harvey bring back fond memories for fans of both sides. Many players went on to NFL careers and a few played in Super Bowls. PHS coach Lewis Sims played linebacker for Moss Point, was an assistant coach there under Jerry Alexander and then as coach of the Tigers, went 3-0 against the Panthers before becoming coach of the Red and Blue. First-year Tigers coach Julius Bridges played at Moss Point when Sims was an assistant. Pascagoula holds a 43-37-3 edge in the series and look for the Panthers to add another victory Friday night. PHS 24, Moss Point 14.
Brandon at Picayune: Two perennial state powerhouses playing in the season opener is a lot to ask. The winner will have a feather in their cap and the loser will be able to use the defeat as motivation for the remainder of the season. The Tide is tough to beat at home. Call it Picayune 35, Brandon 28.
George County at East Central: The Hornets hope last year’s 3-7 season was an anomaly and look to get back on the winning track. Standing in their way, however, is a loaded George County team led by Notre Dame quarterback commit Deuce Knight, who is in his fourth year as a starter. The Rebels have dedicated the season to former star MJ Daniels, who was shot and killed back in June. George County 34, East Central 7.
Vancleave at St. Martin: This game reminds me of the old Pascagoula River Conference back in the days before Mississippi had playoffs. These teams usually played near the end of the season just before deer season opened. I won’t name the coach, but when I asked him if his team was ready for Friday night, he said, “They are more interested in the opening of deer season.’’ He was right. His team got hammered. St. Martin suffered through a winless season last year, but the players got a lot of experience. I’m calling it Vancleave 18, St. Martin 13.
Gautier at Harrison Central: Gautier has fallen in the South State playoff game two years in a row, just missing out on a chance at a state title. The Gators have a good mix of returning starters to fuel the effort to get over the hump this year. The Red Rebels, meanwhile, are seeking to get out of the first round of the playoffs and they have a new coach in Nekemia Rich leading the way. Gautier 18, HC 16.
Stone High at Biloxi: The Indians finished in the middle of the pack in Class 7-A last year at 6-6 while the Tomcats slumped to 3-7 but could have easily had a winning record. Both teams have some talent returning and need that experience to take it to the next level. Biloxi has a new coach in Jamie DuBose, who won three state championships in Alabama. It’s a toss-up. Biloxi 21, Stone 20.
Pass Christian at Long Beach: Neighbors who often share po-boys at Pirate’s Cove on Menge Avenue. These teams won’t be neighborly on Friday night in the Oyster Bowl. Long Beach has struggled for years to have a winning season while Pass put together a nine-win season a year ago. The Pirates will keep that momentum. Pass 32, Long Beach 6.
