By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Pascagoula is off to a solid 4-1 start for the second straight season after the Panthers pummeled visiting Biloxi 44-3 last week in what was the 100th all-time meeting between the two teams on the gridiron.

And the decision was the fourth win at home in the first five weeks of the season thanks to an early season favorable slate for the Panthers.

Pascagoula played four games in the friendly confines of War Memorial Stadium before the end of September for the first time in 18 years, since the start of the 2006 campaign. The Panthers managed just a 2-2 record over those four home contests and 2-3 overall.

The 4-0 start to a home slate is the quickest for the Panthers since their last state championship season in 1987, when during the midst of that 14-0 campaign 37 years ago PHS won its fifth straight game with four of those at home by Oct. 2nd.

It also marks the first time Pascagoula stands 4-0 at home under veteran head coach Lewis Sims during his 14 season tenure since the 2015 season, when they finished the season unbeaten at 6-0 at home and ended up 9-4 overall including a second round playoff loss in Hattiesburg.

It also marks the second straight 4-1 start to a season for Sims and his squad, but in the opposite fashion as the Panthers started off last season with four of their first five games on the road.

All-Star games

And speaking of Sims, he was selected to serve as an assistant coach for his home state squad in the upcoming prestigious Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Football Classic in December.

The contest is slated for Saturday, Dec., 14th at Hancock/Whitney Stadium in Mobile on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

That will proceed the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic that pits the rest of the best seniors in the state in a North vs. South format. That game will take place the following Saturday, Dec. 21st in Gulfport at historic Milner Stadium.

The rosters for both all-star games will be announced at a press conference Wednesday morning in Clinton, Miss., at the offices of the Mississippi Coaches Association.

“Super 7” in the “Southern 6”

Every Tuesday through the first week in December, we will publish our “Super 7 in the Southern 6” weekly poll involving all 24 prep football teams in our coverage area.

The weekly poll is the only one in the state that is voted on by a panel of veteran sportswriters, a few selected area coaches and other media members.

This week is the Week Six rankings for 2024.

“Super 7 in the Southern 6”

1. Poplarville (4-1)
2. Picayune (3-2)
3. Gautier (3-1)
4. Pascagoula (4-1)
5. Gulfport (3-2)
6. George County (3-2)
7. West Harrison (4-1)

(Others receiving votes: Vancleave, Ocean Springs, D’Iberville, Pass Christian, St. Martin)