By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LONG BEACH — Last season, Long Beach didn’t even qualify for the Class 6A South State playoffs.

In fact, the Bearcats only had two wins in 27 games.

But this season, thanks to a big shutout win over visiting Picayune Tuesday night, Long Beach not only has already secured a berth in the Class 6A South State playoffs but with one more win the Bearcats can open the postseason next week with home-field advantage in the first round.

Versatile senior standout Will Brady, who doubles up as the starting Bearcat quarterback on the gridiron, shut down ironically enough one of the premiere prep football schools in the state in this important Region 4-6A game as he tossed a complete game, four hit shutout.

The win moves LBHS into sole possession in the region race at 8-5, a game ahead of the Maroon Tide at 7-6. The Bearcats need only a win in one of the final two games of the series, either Thursday night on the road or Friday night at home, to clinch the second seed. Long Beach has won five out of their last six league games to move into this position.

Brady posted one of his best performances of the season in his last regular season start, and Long Beach put up crooked numbers in two frames in the middle of the game to earn the win.

Wayne Ulrich and Dax Arkin each had RBI-singles in the third inning, as the Bearcats broke open a scoreless tie with a four run rally. Both Flynn James and Aiden Downey also drove in runs in that stanza.

Long Beach then got a two-run single from Ulrich in the next inning to break the game open.

Ulrich led Long Beach at the plate with a game-high three hits and three RBIS, which was also a game-high total. Darkin and Cayden Einhaus also had two hits apiece for the Bearcats.

Kendall Blevins started and took the loss for Picayune.

Turner Pugh had a double for the Maroon Tide.