By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Week number four of the prep football season is upon us.

And Rock’s Locks is back for more prime prep pigskin picks.

Rock’s Locks went 8-5 last week to dip down a bit off the pace we set over the first three weeks. We stand 27-12 overall entering week four.

Remember, a ‘lock” in the world of sports “for entertainment purposes only” means a sure thing, a solid pick.

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.

Just like the first few weeks, there are more all “Southern Six” match-ups this week as well.

In the words of the late, great J.D. Souther…”They will never forget you ’til somebody new comes along…”

1. Gulfport at Picayune — The Maroon Tide and the Admirals meet for the 10th consecutive season and for the 11th time since the 2011 season in which the Maroon Tide went on to win the first of their four state championships in an 11 year span. Both teams sit at 2-1 on the season, and this will mark the fourth straight home game for the Maroon Tide to start the season for the first time in over fifty years. Picayune has won five straight in this annual affair and seven of the past eight meetings in a series that dates back over 100 years. We see that streak continuing…Picayune 27, Gulfport 20.
2. D’Iberville at Pascagoula — A pair of teams coming off of their first losses of the young campaign face off at historic War Memorial Stadium Friday night as the Panthers host the Warriors in a match-up of a pair of 2-1 squads. This is the 13th meeting overall for these two teams on the football field, but 10th in the last 11 years. Almost shockingly, Pascagoula has lost six straight games to the Warriors and seven of the past eight dating back to the 2013 season. We don’t see that streak continuing…Pascagoula 17, D’Iberville 14.
3. Vancleave at George County — A pair of teams coming off completely different results last week meet up at Gill-Martin Stadium in Lucedale this week. The Rebels suffered their first loss of the season falling to Biloxi, while the Bulldogs came up with their first win of the year in a decision over Forrest County AHS. This is the fourth straight time the teams have met over the past four years, but it marks just the eighth all-time meeting in a series that dates back to 1987. Whether or not Rebel standouts Deuce Knight and Brenn Moody will see action this week, both of whom were injured early in the game last week, will factor heavily into who gets the win in this one. George County 20, Vancleave 10.
4. Gautier at Moss Point — The Tigers finally get back home to Dantzler Street after three road games to start the season as they host the Gators. Moss Point is 0-3 while Gautier is 2-1 after the Gators handed arch-rival Pascagoula a 38-31 defeat last week. This game marks the 20th all-time meeting on the football field between these two Jackson County foes in a series that dates back to 2001. Moss Point leads the series 12-7, but Gautier has won three straight and four out of the past five games. We see that trend continuing…Gautier 31, Moss Point 13.
5. St. Stanislaus at Pass Christian — Two teams coming off wins last week as both moved to 2-1 on the season face off at McDonald Stadium in the Pass as the Pirates welcome in the Rock-A-chaws in this long-standing affair. This is the 49th all-time meeting between the two long time rivals, with SSC leading 25-21-2 including a 24-20 win last year. But that loss broke a three game Pirate win streak in the annual affair, and the Pirates have won four of the last six games. After a slow start to the season, the Pirates continue to get back on track in this one…Pass Christian 28, St. Stanislaus 24.
6. Pearl River Central at Poplarville — County rivals that have been going in completely opposite directions for about the past decade meet Friday in the resumption of this series. Poplarville comes in at 3-0, and PRC is just the opposite at 0-3 and brings a 16-game losing streak into this week dating back to mid-season of 2022. This marks the 67th meeting all-time between the Hornets and Blue Devils on the gridiron, with Poplarville holding a commanding 44-22 advantage including six straight wins. This one shouldn’t be close...Poplarville 42, PRC 12.
7. Bay High at West Harrison — Yet another meeting between a pair of 2-1 teams in the “Southern Six” takes place as the Hurricanes host the Tigers with both teams coming off wins last week. This is the 12th all-time meeting between the teams, and Bay High holds a slight 6-5 advantage after a 42-7 win last season. The Hurricanes have won two straight games in the series, but the teams have split the past four meetings. West Harrison 28, Bay High 21.

A Six Pack to go:

Stone 20, St. Martin 12

Hattiesburg 42, Biloxi 28

Petal 23, Hancock 14

Yazoo City 28, St. Patrick 7

Ocean Springs 38, Natchez 35

Purvis 23, Long Beach 20