By CURTIS ROCKWELL

GULFPORT — For the second straight season, Blake Pennock is a part of the coaching staff for the South squad in the Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Football Classic.
But, his appearance once again on the sidelines at historic Milner Stadium is about where the similarities between last year and this year end.
Pennock, Gulfport’s head coach, is also the head coach for the South team this year after serving as an assistant last year. Also, it was during the week of the game last year that Pennock was named to lead the Admirals football program after three seasons in the same post at Ocean Springs.
In addition, when Pennock leads his team onto the field Saturday morning he’ll be making history as it will mark the first time ever in the long and storied history of the contest that the sitting head coach at a school will be the head coach for either side in the game as it takes place in his own home stadium.
Kickoff time for the 75th annual affair is set for 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the home field of the Admirals.
“It’s different this year for sure,” Pennock said, in an exclusive interview with SouthMiss6.com Sports Tuesday afternoon. “There was a lot going on last year at this time with the transition and all, and things were kind of going in different directions and I probably didn’t get to enjoy the experience as much as I could have. But this year all the focus is on the game and making sure we play as well as we can and represent the South well.”
Players and other coaches arrived Wednesday afternoon in Gulfport, as preparation for the prestigious game began. After orientation meetings and physicals, the teams hit the practice field Wednesday night for the first time and will continue with multiple practices on Thursday and Friday leading up to game day.

“It’s an absolute honor to be selected as the head coach in this game, especially considering the circumstances of it being right here at my own school,” Pennock added. “I think it’s really a cool experience all the way around. I’ve had quite a few former players that played in this game over the years and they all seemed to remember the experience fondly and still talk about it.”
Last season, the South scored with less than 10 seconds to play to pull out an exciting 14-10 come from behind win over the North. The decision pushed the South’s overall advantage in the series to 36-29-5.
This marks the 14th consecutive season that the game has been played in Gulfport as well as the 15th time in the past 17 years. It also the 17th straight year that the game has been played on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as it was also played once each at Biloxi High and Ocean Springs High as well.
Also, there is a bit of a change in the date of the game this year. For most of the past two decades, the contest served as the final prep football game of the year and ended yet another prep football campaign. But this season, unlike many others, the annual Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Classic will take place next week instead of being played the week before the Bernard Blackwell game.
That change took place because Alabama is finishing up its state championship games this week after Mississippi did so last week.
The “Southern Six” is well represented in Saturday’s game, with 16 players competing in the contest.
“I’m excited about it,” Pennock concluded. “We’ve got some really good players and a really good staff, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Here are the 16 players from the “Southern Six” on the South squad this year:
Dylan Moran, Hancock, QB
Cam Joseph, Gulfport, WR
Terry Patton, Pass Christian, WR
Tristen Fortenberry, Pascagoula, OL
Prince Cottonham, Gulfport, DB
Damon Felder, Gulfport, DB
Niquis Ratcliff, Picayune, DB
Gabe Miller, East Central, DL
Angel McGee, Gautier, DL
Jayden Acker, Pass Christian, DL
Jabari McWilliams, Picayune, DL
Jacob Bradford, St. Stanislaus, DL
Aden Dedeaux, Poplarville, DL
Jeffrey Hopgood, Hancock, LB
Trace Carter, Ocean Springs, LB
Eric Moore, Ocean Springs, LB
Also, Gulfport head football coach Blake Pennock will be the head coach for the South Team in the annual Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Football game. His assistants include Picayune head coach Cody Stogner, Hancock head coach Neil Lollar and Gulfport asst. coach Zack Green.