By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — The seventh “Southern Six” Senior Spotlight sponsored by Reese’s of the new school year is Gulfport’s Izzi Barnes.

Each week throughout the school year, we here at SouthMiss6 Sports will highlight a senior student/athlete in the “Southern Six” to honor.

Barnes, a senior standout volleyball performer for the Lady Admirals, guided her GHS squad to an impressive 32-7 record this season and a berth in the Class 7A South State semifinals. Gulfport’s season came to an end in a four set loss on the road in Brandon Thursday night 25-20, 19-25, 15-25 and 13-25.

Barnes was named this week as the Class 7A Miss Volleyball in the state of Mississippi. She played in almost 40 matches for the Lady Admirals this season and registered almost 400 kills, over 70 blocks and almost 50 digs as well as over 40 assists.

“On behalf of our entire program, we are absolutely thrilled for Izzi to be honored as Miss Volleyball for Class 7A.” GHS head coach Resi Fitzgerald said. “This recognition is a testament to her incredible talent, perseverance, and commitment to the game. She consistently raises the level of play for everyone around her and embodies the true spirit of teamwork and sportsmanship. It’s been an honor to coach her, and I have no doubt she will continue to do amazing things in her volleyball career”

The Reese’s company has long been a big supporter of current and former high school student/athletes all over the Southeast.

For over a decade now, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups has been the title sponsor of The Senior Bowl played annually in Mobile, Ala.

In addition to its new partnership with the Senior Bowl, the Reese’s® brand is also the official candy partner of the NCAA® and the title sponsor of the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Reese’s® College All-Star Game, which features the top Division I senior basketball student-athletes from around the country and is played the weekend of the NCAA Men’s Final Four®.

“The Reese’s brand is excited to continue our partnership with the Senior Bowl,” said Drew Iddings, Director, Promotions and Planning, The Hershey Company.  “We are confident that this partnership will continue to solidify the Reese’s brand’s leadership in collegiate athletics as well as honor senior student-athletes who achieved success on and off the field during their athletic careers.”

The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl will take place on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM CT at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The game and practices will be televised on the NFL Network. 

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 75 years.  More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1100 media members from around the country were credentialed this year. This past April, the game produced 110 total picks, representing 43 percent of the entire NFL draft.