Seven teams from the Southern Six kept their quest alive for a state football championship last week, but at least one of them will see their season end Friday night in Round Two of the playoffs.
What makes second-round games sometimes the toughest is that teams have often played each other earlier in the season, and that’s the case for George County vs. Picayune and Oak Grove vs. Ocean Springs. At least the Greyhounds have a home game while George County travels to Picayune for the second time.
Wick’s Picks had another solid night predicting nine of 12 games correctly last week, upping the season total to 83-29 for 74.1 percent, which is way above what The Picker would have settled for when the season began.
George County at Picayune (6A): Two teams one could call polar opposites. Picayune is a perennial state champion contender and won its most recent titles in 2021 and 2022. George County, on the other hand, ended a 17-year playoff drought last week and won its playoff opener in impressive fashion by defeating defending 6A state champion West Jones 26-22 on the road. The Rebels trailed 22-19 late in the fourth quarter and pulled off the upset with a 55-yard touchdown pass from five-star recruit Deuce Knight to DJ McNair with 2:10 left in the game. Knight is the fulcrum of the Rebels offense whether by pass or run. He has completed 102-of-165 passes for 2,084 yards and 24 touchdowns. On the ground, he has 74 carries for 450 yards and nine scores. The Maroon Tide, winners of eight straight, have a ground-and-pound philosophy led by running backs Darrell Smith (219 carries for 2,012 yards and 22 TDs) and Triston Cooper (96 for 696 and 11 TDs.) Picayune had a much easier time than George County in its opening playoff game as it dismantled Pearl River Central 48-7. The Rebels and the Maroon Tide met on Nov. 1 with Picayune coming away with the victory 27-20. The odds, history, style of play and home field make Picayune the favorite. It will take the Rebels’ best defensive effort of the year and a stellar game from Knight and his offensive mates to pull off the upset and beat the Maroon Tide for the first time since 2002. Don’t see that streak ending. Picayune 28-24.
Oak Grove at Ocean Springs (7A): The Warriors (8-3) are looking to capture their second straight state championship while the Greyhounds (7-4) are seeking their first. It won’t come easy for the Hounds, who fell to the Warriors 35-21 in Week 2. They have played one common opponent in Biloxi, and both defeated the Indians by similar scores (34-14 for OS and 35-21 for OG). The Warriors have just enough offense to keep their quest for two in a row alive. Oak Grove 35-28.
Pascagoula at Hattiesburg (6A): The Hub City Tigers bring in an impressive 11-0 record, but a closer look at the schedule reveals that they struggled against two teams the Panthers defeated handily: Pascagoula 44-3 over Biloxi in Week 5 and 41-0 over Terry on Friday in the first round of the playoffs. Hattiesburg, meanwhile, edged Biloxi 12-7 and Terry 28-14. The Panthers will need to put a complete game together to hand the Tigers their first defeat, something they didn’t do against Terry though the score would indicate otherwise. Hattiesburg has a roster of numerous college recruits and wants to avenge a 7-6 loss to Pascagoula last year. Calling it for the visitors. Pascagoula 35-28.
Wayne County at Gautier (5A): The Gators (10-1) are clicking on all cylinders and have won nine in a row, including a 42-14 thrashing of South Jones in the first round of the playoffs. The Gators easily dispatched Wayne County (5-7) in October, winning 31-8, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t gobble up the War Eagles again. Gautier 34-10.
Stone at Brookhaven (5A): The Tomcats have been up and down all season, never winning more than two games in a row en route to a 6-5 record. A win on Friday over Brookhaven would be three straight victories and would finally give the Tomcats some momentum. The Panthers (10-1) smashed Vancleave 42-21 in their playoff opener and Stone (which lost to Vancleave 37-13 midway through the season) edged Florence 17-14 in the first round. Not seeing the Tomcats’ winning streak continue. Brookhaven 40-24.
McComb at Poplarville (4A): The Hornets (10-2) have played two playoff games and came away with one-point victories over Mendenhall (27-26) and Columbia (21-20). The Tigers (6-4) won their two playoff contests in easy fashion over Lawrence County (33-0) and Northeast Jones (42-9). Can Poplarville win another close one or will McComb make it three routs in a row? Poplarville 27-26.
