By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
A decade ago, in 2014, seven of the eight prep football teams in Jackson County qualified for the state playoffs in four different classifications. That marked the most ever in a single season.
Never has all eight football squads in the most southeast county in the state qualified for the postseason, but this season is much, much different.
This year only half of those eight teams are on the verge of qualifying for the South State playoffs. In Class 7A, Ocean Springs is already in Class 5A Gautier is already in as well.
In Class 5A, Pascagoula needs just one win in its final two games to secure a berth in Class 6A, as does Vancleave in Class 5A.
In Class 7A, St. Martin is 0-3 in Region 4-7A play and stands on the verge of elimination from playoff contention with one loss in its final two games. In Class 5A, in Region 4-5A, East Central is in the same predicament and faces the same long odds.
Resurrection and Moss Point have already been eliminated from the playoff chase.
If just four Jackson County teams make the football playoffs, that will be the fewest in 10 years since that 2014 campaign.
Hubbard shines at The Capstone
Former Ocean Springs High standout Bray Hubbard made his first start for perennial national power Alabama one to remember Saturday after in Tuscaloosa.
Hubbard, the former two-time and back-to-back “Class 6A Mr. Football” for the Greyhounds, picked the perfect time to record his first collegiate interception for the Crimson Tide in a 34-0 Homecoming thumping of Missouri at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
On the the first drive of the second half for the Tigers, Hubbard scrambled over from his free safety spot and came down with the ball at his own 27-yard line.
“That’s what you want, you want to give the offense back the ball,” Hubbard said. “It’s a battle of field position you really want to win in games like this. It’s a big momentum swing when you have a game changer like that.”
But Hubbard admitted he panicked a bit when he hauled in his career milestone.
“Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do. I just caught it and was like, yo, this is crazy.” Hubbard added. “I kinda didn’t know what to do. That’s big on their first drive of the second half. You come out and have a takeaway, that’s what you want. It’s what you really want in order to win a game like this. It’s a big momentum swing when you have a game-changer like that.”
The Crimson Tide recorded its second shutout of the season and its first in SEC play since 2020. In his first start for Alabama in place of the injured Keon Sabb, Hubbard had seven tackles along with an interception, a moment he said was much-needed, especially in the first drive of the game.
His outstanding performance landed him a spot on the Crimson Tide’s players of the week list and he gained national recognition by one service for being the highest-graded safety in the SEC in week nine with an 85.9.
“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 10 rankings for 2024.
“Super 7 in the Southern 6”
- Picayune
- Poplarville
- Gautier
- Gulfport
- Pascagoula
- Ocean Springs
- Vancleave
(Others receiving votes: (George County, Pass Christian, D’Iberville, Biloxi)
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