By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

And then there were none…

As in no head football coaching openings left in the “Southern Six”.

After a record number of openings this late in the off-season, the final three open spots were filled quickly over the past 24 hours.

And, all three were filled by current assistant coaches already on staff.

On Wednesday morning, Kelly Causey was announced as the new head coach at George County High School. He was elevated from the defensive coordinator post after serving one season with the Rebels in that role.

Also, Long Beach has a new mentor in place as well. And, the Bearcats followed the same route in filling that role as offensive line coach Cody Finley was elevated to the top spot after serving the past three seasons in that capacity.

And, in St. Martin, defensive coordinator Woody Cagnolatti was elevated into the head coach’s role as well after serving the past two seasons in charge of the Yellow Jackets’ defenders.

That trio of new mentors join three others as new head football coaches in the “Southern Six” for the upcoming season in Mikey King at Hancock, Katlan French at Bay High and Derrick Jenkins at Moss Point.

Former St. Martin head coach Ty Smith accepted the head coaching position at Ben Lomond High School in Ogden, Utah.

Former Long Beach head coach Jeremy Massey accepted the head coach post at Mooreville High.

Greene County, which competes with Moss Point, Bay High and Pass Christian in Region 8-4A, was also still looking for a new head football coach after King left to take over at Hancock.

The Wildcat’s new head coach will be led by former Forrest County AHS head coach Larry Dolan, who recently announced he was leaving the Aggie program to fill that role.

In Lucedale, Causey replaces his old boss James Ray after Ray stepped down and took the role as Chief Operating Officer/Athletics Director at GCHS.

In Moss Point, Jenkins becomes the fourth head coach for the Tigers in four seasons and that marks the first-time ever that has happened at MPHS. Jenkins was the defensive coordinator at Perry Central High School, and he replaces Julius Blackmon who lasted just one season at the helm of his alma mater.

In the Kiln, King replaces Neil Lollar who stepped down immediately at the end of last season after seven years at the helm of the Hawks.

And in the Bay, French replaces Jeremy Turcotte who stepped down after five seasons in charge at his alma mater.