By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — The next “Southern Six” Senior Spotlight sponsored by Reese’s of the school year is Bryce O’Neal of George County.

Each week throughout the school year, we here at SouthMiss6 Sports will highlight a senior student/athlete in the “Southern Six” to honor.

O’Neal, the designated hitter for the Rebels who has seen time on the mound as well this season, helped guide the defending Class 6A state champions to an opening round sweep of Terry this weekend.

The Rebels thumped Terry at home 11-1 Friday night in just five frames before beating the Bulldogs on the road 8-2 Saturday afternoon to complete the sweep.

The two wins within about 18 hours in the opening round of the Class 6A South State playoffs moved the Rebels into the South State semifinals next week.

On Saturday, Terry led 1-0 entering the top of the fourth frame before George County responded with four runs in that inning and two more in each of fifth and sixth stanzas to secure the win.

A run-scoring ground out by O’Neal plated the first run for the Rebels in that fourth frame rally and tied the game up to set the wheels in motion for the decisive ending.

O’Neal wielded the big stick at the plate for GCHS in the series finale, as he collected three hits and drove in a game-high four runs.

On Friday night, at Claude Passeau Field, the series started with the same such scenario as the Bulldogs took a quick 1-0 lead only to see the Rebels bounce back later in the game.

George County tallied five runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth to send everyone home early.

O’Neal also had four RBIs in this one, as well as two hits including a two-run home run to end the game.

O’Neal and his Rebels will face the winner of the Picayune-West Jones series in the Class 6A South State semifinals next week.

For over a decade now, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups has been the title sponsor of The Senior Bowl played annually in Mobile, Ala.

In addition to its new partnership with the Senior Bowl, the Reese’s® brand is also the official candy partner of the NCAA® and the title sponsor of the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Reese’s® College All-Star Game, which features the top Division I senior basketball student-athletes from around the country and is played the weekend of the NCAA Men’s Final Four®.

“The Reese’s brand is excited to continue our partnership with the Senior Bowl,” said Drew Iddings, Director, Promotions and Planning, The Hershey Company.  “We are confident that this partnership will continue to solidify the Reese’s brand’s leadership in collegiate athletics as well as honor senior student-athletes who achieved success on and off the field during their athletic careers.”

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 75 years.  More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1100 media members from around the country were credentialed this year. This past April, the game produced 110 total picks, representing 43 percent of the entire NFL draft.