By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

One of the best ways for a sportswriter to make a fool out of himself is to try and predict the weekly outcomes of any type of sporting event, but especially high school football games.

Not that I need any help, but here goes…

Have no fear, Rock’s Locks is here again y’all…

Yes, Rock’s Locks is back in South Mississippi for yet another prep football season. Rock’s Locks was a steady feature in several daily newspapers (remember those?) across South Mississippi for much of the past three decades and has been a part of the journalistic fabric of prep football across the “Southern Six” for most of that time frame as well. Each week we will attempt to provide some insight with some prep pigskin prognosticator picks and provide you readers with much material to ridicule me with I am sure.

There has been a lot of talk about Rock’s Locks over the years. But I didn’t care what was said, I decided to try and sometimes make a fool out of myself again this year.

We finished last season at 128-39 overall for a winning percentage of right at 77 percent. It marked. the 10th year out of the last 12 seasons I was above 75 percent.

Some big games highlight the schedule for the opening week. 

In the words of Marvin Gaye….Let’s get it on.

1. Moss Point at Pascagoula — The 85th annual “Battle of the Cats” takes place at War Memorial Stadium Friday night with a year’s worth of bragging rights on the line once again. The Panthers have had the upper hand of late, winning nine of 11 games contested since PHS head coacj Lewis Sims crossed over Jefferson Street and left his alma mater MPHS to take the helm of the Panthers. Pascagoula thumped Moss Point last season 31-0, the largest point differential margin since 2004. Pascagoula does not, as some folks thought, have four open dates on its schedule this season. The Panthers have won three straight in the series, and four of the past five games. I don’t see that trend changing this week…Pascagoula 31, Moss Point 13.
2. Gautier vs. Harrison Central — The first game in the “Southern Six” this season pits the Gators taking on the Red Rebels for the first time ever in the opening game of the annual “Port City Bowl” at historic Milner Stadium in Gulfport. Gautier is coming off back-to-back trips to the Class 5A South State championship game for the first time in program history. The Red Rebels are entering a new era under first-year head coach Nakemia Rich. I think the Gators have a march to their third straight South State title tilt on their minds, and that journey begins here…Gautier 28, Harrison Central 15.
3. George County at East Central — This is the eighth meeting between these two teams in the past 11 years, after the series was renewed in 2013 after a 12 year hiatus. The series has been closely contested over that span, with the Rebels holding a slight 4-3 advantage including a 28-7 win in Lucedale last year. East Central has won the past three games played at home at H.D. Shirley Stadium, but I think that streak comes to an end this week. George County 27, East Central 8.
4. Vancleave at St. Martin — The second all Jackson County affair on the docket in week one features the Yellow Jackets hosting the Bulldogs with St. Martin looking to snap a 17 game losing streak. This marks the 51st all-time meeting between these two teams, with St. Martin holding a slight 26-23-1 advantage. But Vancleave has won three of the last five meetings, including two straight, after a 42-7 thumping of the Yellow Jackets last year. I see that brief streak reaching three...Vancleave 20, St. Martin 14.
5. Pass Christian at Long Beach — The Bearcats host the Pirates at Lance Lumpkin Stadium in the 65th renewal of the “Oyster Bowl”. The Pass is coming off an historic season, after advancing to the third round of the state playoffs last year for the first time in school history. The Pirates have won four straight in the almost annual battle, and we don’t see that streak coming to an end this week…Pass Christian 30, Long Beach 14.
6. Brandon at Picayune — This marks the second straight season this pair of perennial state powers will face off against one another to open the season. It also marks just the fourth meeting ever between the Maroon Tide and the Bulldogs. Picayune, coming off of back-to-back state championships last season, went into Brandon and pulled out an exciting 28-21 win in the season-opener for both teams. Like last year, when Picayune had this advantage, Brandon returns a more experienced team this season than Picayune does. The Maroon Tide lost two regular season games last year at home in the friendly confines of Lee-Triplett Stadium, marking the first time since 2015 that happened. I think they’ll be half way to that total after the dust clears Friday night…Brandon 23, Picayune 21.
7. Madison Central at Ocean Springs — For the second straight season also, these two teams face off against one another to kick off the new campaign for each. This is just the fourth meeting also between the Greyhounds and the Jaguars, with MCHS winning all three previous meetings including pulling out an exciting 15-14 home win last year that snapped a 20-game regular season winning streak for the Greyhounds. Madison Central has 32 seniors, the most since 2021 when the Jags took home the Class 6A state title. Once again, experience will be the key…Madison Central 24, Ocean Springs 21.

A Six Pack to go:

Bay High 27, Resurrection 17

Biloxi 20, Stone 12

Poplarville 28, Jefferson Davis County 23

Columbia 30, D’Iberville 19

Hancock 21, Natchez 7

Gulfport 24, Greenville Christian 9