By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Prep football history in Jackson County will be made next week in Pascagoula.
When the home-standing Panthers take on longtime arch-rival Moss Point in the 84th annual “Battle of the Cats” at War Memorial Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30th, it will mark the first time ever that two former Moss Point Tiger standouts face one another as head coaches in that series.
Pascagoula head coach Lewis Sims, a former linebacker for the Tigers, is entering his 14th year at the helm of the Panthers and his 17th season as a head coach in Jackson County, which makes him by far the dean of prep football coaches in the “Southern Six”.
Sims is the longest tenured football head coach ever at PHS and also is the all-time winningest coach on the gridiron for the Panthers. Sims is 88-68 at Pascagoula after crossing over Jefferson Street just before the 2011 season. Prior to that, he guided his alma mater Moss Point for three seasons going 25-11 and beating the Panthers all three years. His overall record is 113-79.
“The Battle of the Cats is iconic,” Sims said recently. “Being on both sides, I understand the motivation of each side. The players today are much more close and connected than they were in my day.” 
Sims and his squad will welcome in one of his former pupils when the Tigers come to town, as it will mark the first game for Julius Bridges as head coach at his alma mater Moss Point.

Bridges, who played tight end for the Tigers before graduating in 2008. Sims was an assistant for the Tigers during Bridges playing days.
Bridges, who also serves as the Tigers’ head baseball coach, excelled on both the gridiron and the diamond during his days playing for his alma mater.
Bridges has been an assistant football coach at MPHS for the past 12 years, and handled the offensive line duties for the past three seasons before being elevated to the top spot.
He becomes the first MPHS alumnus to be head coach of the Tigers since Sims in 2010.
“I’m ready for this opportunity,” Bridges said, in a recent interview. “I understand the history and I understand the culture of Moss Point football. I’m looking forward to bringing my coaching style, enthusiasm, and dedication to the team to help us achieve success together.”

The game will serve as the season-opener for both the Panthers and Tigers.
Since leaving Dantzler Street, Sims has become the winningest head coach in PHS history and the Tigers are now on their sixth head coach in 14 seasons since Sims’ departure. Moss Point has had just three winning seasons over that time span as well.
Bridges is Moss Point’s third head coach in as many seasons.
“In 2011, my wife and I were building our house in Pascagoula and one of my mentors, Scott Sisson, called and asked if I was interested in an opportunity to apply at Pascagoula because he was retiring and he thought I would be a good fit,” Sims concluded. “One even told me that it was a monumental mistake and I would regret the move. So when I started this job, my goal was for this to be home till I decided to stop coaching.”