Week Four of the high school football season was interesting, to say the least.
The Picker suffered a second consecutive losing week and several teams rebounded from defeats to get their seasons headed in the right direction.
Wick’s Picks was 4-5, bringing the 2024 record to 16-14 for 53.3 percent. The Picker is glad of one thing—he doesn’t bet on football.
Poplarville remains the only Southern Six team still standing with a 4-0 record. The Hornets won their first three games by a total of 10 points before outscoring winless Pearl River Central 41-28 last week.
Their win streak will be tested Friday night as the Hornets have a formidable
opponent in 4-0 West Jones. The Mustangs have averaged 33 points a game while allowing only 10 a game. Meanwhile, Poplarville is averaging 26 and allowing 20.
The Hornets will need to put the clamps on West Jones running back Elijah Jones Crosby to stay unbeaten. Crosby is averaging 215 yards rushing a game and has reached paydirt 15 times.
If the Mustangs’ statistics posted online are correct, they won’t be throwing many passes. They have attempted only 28 passes and completed 12 for 42 yards and one score.
Playing in Laurel, or anywhere in the Free State of Jones County for that matter, is never an easy task. The Picker is giving the nod to the Mustangs and their ground assault. West Jones 42, Poplarville 28.
Posting their first victories of the season last week were Stone High (28-15 over St. Martin), Resurrection Catholic School (40-14 over Mount Olive), Ocean Springs (49-16 over Natchez) and East Central (20-6 over North Pike).
Still seeking their first victories are Moss Point, St. Patrick and Pearl River Central.
Here are the other picks for Week Five.
Picayune at Ocean Springs: It’s been a strange season for the Maroon Tide and Greyhounds. Neither team is used to having the records they do this early in the season—it’s 2-2 for Picayune and 1-3 for OS. Look for the Tide’s ground game, led by Darrell Smith with 743 yards and six touchdowns, to be enough to squeak out a victory. Picayune 35, Ocean Springs 27.
West Harrison at Moss Point: Hurricane season is upon us and Helene is churning in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico right now, looking to cause extensive damage to Florida. The Hurricanes of West Harrison, meanwhile, have blown out their last three opponents by an average score of 46-10. An opening-game 42-12 loss to Greene County was all the fuel the Hurricanes needed to get their offense blowing at full force. That should continue against the winless and struggling Tigers. West Harrison 48, Moss Point 14.
Resurrection at St. Patrick: For several years, RCS was the toast of the Coast in Class 1A. Impressive records and deep playoff runs were the norm for the Eagles. This season, however, has been a tough one as the Eagles lost several players to graduation and now are relying on unseasoned troops to get the job done. Last week’s first win was a start in the right direction. St. Patrick is seeking to get in the win column but won’t get it against their archrivals. RCS 24, St. Patrick 14.
Pascagoula at Biloxi: Turnovers can change the complexion of a game in seconds as it did last week in the Panthers’ 21-7 victory over favored D’Iberville. The Warriors were on the verge of taking a two-touchdown lead in the second quarter when they coughed up their first of three fumbles and threw an interception. The Panthers turned three of those turnovers into scores. The Indians, meanwhile, have been up and down and haven’t gotten their offense on track. Got to go with the Panthers led by Silas Corder’s quarterbacking. Pascagoula 21, Biloxi 7.
Vancleave at Hancock: The Bulldogs have won two straight by three points each while the Hawks have struggled to find their footing with two close losses and one blowout. The Bulldogs should keep the Hawks searching for their second win. Vancleave 20, Hancock 13.
St. Martin at East Central: The Hornets got their first W of the season last week and have the home-field advantage on their side. Meanwhile, St. Martin’s two wins are two more than they had all last season. The Yellow Jackets seem to be moving in the right direction, despite losing last week. Giving the edge to the Jackets. St. Martin 21, East Central 20.
Brandon at Gulfport: This could be a high-scoring shootout. Brandon has scored more than 60 points twice, and one of those was a 65-62 loss to Clinton. A one-point win over Warren Central last week upped the Bulldogs to 3-1. Gulfport has been no slouch, either, averaging 34 points in going 3-1. Going with the Dogs. Brandon 42, Gulfport 35.
