By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Catching up on a few notes as we dive further into the prep football state playoffs this week..

• Picayune is looking to make its fourth straight trip to the South State championship round as well as its sixth trip in the past seven seasons. The Maroon Tide is 2-1 in the past three trips as they prepare to host George County Friday night for the second time this season.
• On the other hand, George County is looking for its first trip to the South State title tilt in 17 years since 2007 when the Rebels fell to South Panola in the state championships game. Last week’s 26-22 upset on the rod of defending Class 6A state champion West Jones was the first playoff win for GCHS since that 2007 Class 5A South State championship game when it thrashed Meridian also on the road 33-14.
• Pascagoula will attempt to invade D. I. Patrick Stadium for the second straight season in the Class 6A South State playoffs and come home win a win over home-standing Hattiesburg this week. The Panthers went into the Hub City last season in round one and upset the favored Tigers 7-6 in a defensive slugfest. Pascagoula is looking for its second trip to the South State final round in five seasons and their third under veteran head coach Lewis Sims.
• Speaking of the unbeaten Hattiesburg Tigers, the Hub City crew is facing its fifth team from the “Southern Six” this season. In its march to its second 10-0 regular season in eight seasons and its first 11-0 start since that same 2017 campaign, Hattiesburg has beaten Biloxi (12-7), George County (48-21), Pearl River Central 42-0 and last week Hancock (48-14) to open the Class 6A South State playoffs. But, that win over the Hawks last week was the first in the playoffs over a team from the “Southern Six” since a win over Stone in 2017. The Tigers are 1-4 against “Southern Six” squads in the playoffs in the past five seasons.
• Ocean Springs is looking to advance to its second South State title game in three seasons as its hosts Defending Class 7A state champion and perennial state power Oak Grove Friday night. This marks the 10th all-time meeting on the football field between the two teams and the Warriors have dominated the series so far winning seven of nine games. Oak Grove beat visiting OSHS 35-21 in week two of the regular season, so this is another rematch.
• And speaking of Oak Grove, the perennial state power Warriors are 13-1 in the state playoffs over the past decade against squads from the “Southern Six” since winning their first state tile in 2013. However, that lone loss was in Ocean Springs at the hands of Bray Hubbard and the Greyhounds two years ago 42-25. Oak Grove also won the state title in 2020.
• Gautier is looking for its third straight trip to the Class 5A South State championship games as the Gators host Region 4-5A foe Wayne County this week. Gautier had never made it that far in the state playoffs until two years ago, and can add yet another chapter to its football history book Friday night. This is also a rematch, as GHS beat the visiting War Eagles 31-8 five weeks ago.
• Poplarville is seeking its eighth trip to the Class 4A South State championship game in the past nine seasons as the Hornets host McComb Friday night. This marks the second meeting between the two teams in the South State playoffs in 10 seasons, since a 21-20 road win over the Tigers to open the postseason in 2015. That game was the first ever on the football field between the two schools.
• Stone High is looking for its second trip to the South State title tilt in three seasons as the Tomcats travel to Brookhaven this week. In fact, Stone’s thrilling 32-28 upset of Poplarville in 2022 marks the only time in that successful stretch for the Hornets that they didn’t qualify for the South State title round. The Tomcats have played in three South State championship games since a statewide playoff system was implemented in Mississippi 43 years ago, but never made it to the state championship round.