By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

SouthMiss6 Sports is rolling out its inaugural roster of the top standout prep football players in our coverage area. The “Sweet 16 in the Southern Six” list was compiled by coaches and sports writers who have been following the action on the gridiron in South Mississippi for the past three decades.

One player will be revealed and added to the list each day over the next 14 days.

Next up is a highly-recruited kicker in the Class 3A ranks:

2 — Evan Noel

St. Stanislaus | 6-2, 155 | Kicker

Noel, an Arkansas commit, went 8-of-12 on field goals last season with a long of 49 yards and was 42-of-43 on point after attempts. He averaged 38.5 yards per punt with a long of 65 last season.

He helped guide the Rock-A-Chaws to an impressive 9-2 overall record and the Region 8-3A title. It marked the first region crown for SSC since 2016.

The Rocks rolled into the playoffs after an 8-1 regular season mark, and knocked off Crystal Springs 23-20 in the opening round of the Class 3A South State playoffs before falling to perennial state power Noxubee County in the second round. Noxubee went on to play for the state championship.

1 — Deuce Knight

George County | 6-4, 206 | Quarterback

Knight, a Notre Dame commit, is the highest-rated quarterback in Mississippi’s 2025 class. He passed for 1,420 yards with 15 touchdowns in seven games last season.

Knight is the number four quarterback overall nationally from the 2025 class according to On3, and is the No. 2 overall recruit from Mississippi for the cycle.

Knight missed the first half of the season for the Rebels last year, but he returned in time to guide George County to an 8-4 overall mark and they earned the second seed in Region 4-6A. However, the Rebels still haven’t won a state playoff game in 17 years after visiting Terry upset homestanding George County 41-39 in the first round of the Class 6A SouthState playoffs to end last season.

George County faces East Central on the road to open the upcoming season and then returns back to Gill-Martin Stadium for its home opener in week two against arch-rival Greene County.

Here is a look at the composite schedule for both St. Stanislaus and George County and all of the squads in the “Southern Six” for the first two weeks:

WEEK ONE (AUG. 30TH)

• GEORGE COUNTY at EAST CENTRAL
• HARRISON CENTRAL VS GAUTIER (5:30 p.m., kickoff in PORT CITY BOWL – MILNER STADIUM, Gulfport)
• STONE at BILOXI
• VANCLEAVE at ST. MARTIN  
• MOSS POINT at PASCAGOULA
• PASS CHRISTIAN at LONG BEACH
• RESURRECTION at BAY HIGH
• SACRED HEART at ST. PATRICK 
• MADISON CENTRAL at OCEAN SPRINGS 
• NATCHEZ at HANCOCK
• BRANDON at PICAYUNE 
• D’IBERVILLE at COLUMBIA
• POPLARVILLE at JEFF DAVIS CO.
• PEARL RIVER CENTRAL at SOUTH PIKE
• WEST HARRISON at GREENE COUNTY
• ST. STANISLAUS at FCAHS
• GULFPORT VS GREENVILLE CHRISTIAN (8:30 p.m., kickoff in PORT CITY BOWL – MILNER STADIUM)

WEEK TWO (SEPT. 6TH)

• GREENE COUNTY at GEORGE COUNTY
• GULFPORT at VANCLEAVE
• MOSS POINT at HANCOCK
• EAST CENTRAL at PASCAGOULA
• GAUTIER at D’IBERVILLE
• BAY HIGH at ST. STANISLAUS  
• STONE at POPLARVILLE
• BILOXI at MERIDIAN
• SLIDELL POPE JOHN PAUL at ST. PATRICK 
• SOUTH JONES at PEARL RIVER CENTRAL
• SLIDELL NORTHSHORE at PICAYUNE
• PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN at RESURRECTION 
• OCEAN SPRINGS at OAK GROVE
• PASS CHRISTIAN at PURVIS
• ST. MARTIN at PETAL
• D’IBERVILLE at COLUMBIA
• HARRISON CENTRAL at G.W. CARVER (New Orleans)
• WEST HARRISON at SUMRALL
• LONG BEACH at FCAHS