(Editors Note: This is the third of a four part series on how the schedules shape up for the four “Southern Six” squads that reached their respective South State championship games last season.)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PICAYUNE — Since the Covid pandemic altered the season for many prep football teams across the state of Mississippi in 2020, only a trio of “Southern Six” squads have played for state championships.

And, after winning back-to-back Class 5A state championships in 2021 and 2022 and falling in the Class 6A South State title tilt each of the past two seasons, Picayune head coach Cody Stogner and his Maroon Tide have their sights set squarely upon playing for their third state title in five seasons in the upcoming campaign.

Picayune finished 11-3 overall last year and fell at home to Hattiesburg 39-35 with a trip to the Class 6A state title tilt on the line. Maroon Tide head coach Cody Stogner enters his sixth season at the helm of his alma mater this year.

“Our kids gave great effort for 14 weeks,” Stogner said, just after the season ended. “We were in a dog fight every week and they never flinched. The schedule for next season doesn’t get any easier.”

The Maroon Tide will compete in Region 4-6A for the third straight season since the expansion to seven classifications in the state two years ago.

All else is not the status quo in the league next season, however, as there will be two new members of the loop.

One change is that long-time Maroon Tide arch-rival and neighbor Pearl River Central is back in the same league with Picayune and will replace George County in the loop for the next two seasons. Also, Gautier and West Harrison both moved up in classification and the Gators will take the place of the Hurricanes in the revamped region.

Gautier, and Poplarville join Picayune as the trio of teams that have played for state football titles since 2020.

The Pearl River County duo and Gautier will join holdovers Pascagoula, Hancock and Long Beach to form Region 4-6A the next two seasons.

The five non-region opponents next season for Picayune will be Gulfport, Poplarville, Ocean Springs, Biloxi and Slidell Northshore.

The county rival Hornets won the Class 4A state title last season, while the Greyhounds fell in the Class 7A South State championship game. Both the Admirals and Indians qualified for the Class 7A South State playoffs as well.

Unlike the past few seasons, Picayune will have an open date in week six of the season before beginning the region race after the break.

The Maroon Tide must replace several key standouts from last season, including stalwart running back Darrell Smith who ran for over 2,250 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns his senior season before signing with Louisiana-Lafayette.