By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

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

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

Rock’s Locks raised the roof off the place for the fourth straight week last time out with an impressive second straight 12-1 outing. We now stand 86-18 overall entering week eight and improved our overall mark even better for a winning percentage of right at 83 percent.

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.

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

On the heels of our nifty 12-1 mark last week, and in the words of Taylor who storms into NOLA this weekend…”And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars…and why I’ve spent my whole life trying to put it into words”

1. Gautier at East Central — The Gators go on the road in Region 4-5A play looking to maintain the top spot in the league standings as they head to Hurley to face the home-standing Hornets at Shirley Stadium. The teams sit on the exact opposite end of the spectrum in the region race, as the Gators stand at 2-0 and ECHS is 0-2. This marks the 28th edition of Gautier having a football team and it is the 24th meeting all-time between these two teams on the gridiron, with the Gators in complete command of the all-time series at 17-6. Gautier has also won two straight in the series with ease, including a 34-7 thumping of the Hornets last season. We see more of the same this week…Gautier 42, East Central 13.
2. Ocean Springs at Biloxi — The Greyhounds go forth in search of their 22nd consecutive region win as they head across the Bay to tangle with the Indians for the BHS Homecoming. This marks the 52nd all-time meeting between these to neighbors on the football field, and the all-time series is just about as close as any in the “Southern Six”. A 42-21 win by OSHS last season broke a 25-25 tie in the series and gave the Greyhounds the lead in the all-time affair for the first time in the history of the series at 26-25. Ocean Springs has won seven straight in the annual affair, and needs one more win to tie the best streak in the all-time series at eight straight which the Greyhounds also accomplished from 2003-2010. We think they’ll easily get it…Ocean Springs 38, Biloxi 14.
3. Long Beach at Picayune — The perennial power Maroon Tide is also riding an impressive region winning streak, as they host the Hurricanes in search of their 22nd straight league win also and Picayune has won 24 straight games against region foes when you include the playoffs. The Tide comes in at 2-0 in Region 4-6Aa and the Bearcats at 0-2 after a 50-14 loss to Pascagoula last week. This one won’t be close…Picayune 55, Long Beach 12.
4. St. Martin at Gulfport — Speaking of region winning streaks, Gulfport isn’t on one of any length overall but against the Yellow Jackets that’s an entirely different story. The Admirals have beaten St. Martin 13 straight times on the football field, including a 42-6 thumping last season, and own a commanding 17-1 overall lead in the all-time series. The only St. Martin win on the field came in 2003, although GHS forfeited a game to SMHS in the Covid season of 2020. The Admirals are 2-0 in Region 4-7A play, and the Yellow Jackets come in at 0-2. Again, we see more of the same in this one…Gulfport 42, St. Martin 15.
5. Pascagoula at Hancock — Two teams that stand tied in Region 4-6A action at 1-1 face off at Brett Favre Field in the Kiln as the Panthers come calling on the home-standing Hawks. These two teams never met on the football field until 2005, and since then the Panthers own an 8-3 advantage in 11 meetings over the past almost two decades including wins in the past three seasons over HHS. The team that takes a loss in this one this week will severely damage its chances of hosting an opening round game in the upcoming Class 6A South State playoffs. Another game in which the recent trend continues…Pascagoula 34, Hancock 10.
6. Laurel at Vancleave — A big test for both of these teams in Region 4-5A takes place in Jackson County Friday night as the Bulldogs host the Golden Tornadoes for the first time ever. Vancleave and Laurel both sit at 1-1 after two weeks of league play, and this one may indeed go a long way in deciding who gets one of two home berths in the region race in the opening round of the upcoming Class 5A South State playoffs. This marks just the third all-time meeting in football between the two schools, with Laurel winning both previous encounters including a 45-6 thumping in Jones County last year. We think the homefield advantage will rsult in an historical win for the Bulldogs…Vancleave 27, Laurel 26.
7. George County at West Harrison — Only the sixth all-tme meeting between these two foes, and the Rebels hold a slight 3-2 advantage in the all-time series after a 59-14 thumping from GCHS over the Hurricanes last year. That came a season after West Harrison upset the Rebels in a wild and crazy 50-49 decision in Gulfport. The teams have split the only two games played at WHHS, and this could turn into yet another track meet as it did two years ago. With a shaky nod, we’ll go with the visitors…George County 42, West Harrison 41.

A Six Pack to Go:

Greene County 50, Moss Point 9

D’Iberville 13, Harrison Central 12

Stone 24, Wayne County 14

Sacred Heart 21, Resurrection 17

Poplarville 49, Bay High 13

Tylertown 70, St. Patrick 7

(Bonus Pick) Hattiesburg 37, Pearl River Central 16