By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

MERIDIAN — In four previous attempts, Ocean Springs had never defeated Meridian on the football field.

But all of that changed Thursday night.

The Greyhounds hit the Wildcats from all angles and jumped out to a commanding 27-0 halftime lead here at historic Ray Stadium en route to a 35-0 win in the season-opener for both teams.

The result helped OSHS and third-year head coach Jake Bramlett earn a slight measure of revenge over MHS, after the Wildcats stormed into Greyhound Stadium in the opening round of the 2023 Class 7A South State playoffs and stunned OSHS 38-23 to end Bramlett’s first season in charge.

“Very proud of our team for coming up here and handling business,” Bramlett said, after the big win. “Our sophomore quarterback threw a pick on his first throw and never looked back. The defense flew around and pitched a shutout. We gave up a couple big plays but were stingy in the red zone! Going to enjoy tonight, flip the switch, and start preparing to be 1-0 next week.”

The contest also marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams in the regular season, with all four prior contests coming in the postseason.

Even though it took until the second series of the season, Ocean Springs struck quick and often in the first half.

Solomon Baggett, a transfer from Gautier, gave the Greyhounds a lead they would never relinquish with a three-yard touchdown run mid-way through the first period to put the visitors up 7-0.

Then, after forcing the Wildcats to punt, OSHS sophomore quarterback Chalmers Berglind made his first completion of the new season count on the first play of the next drive with a 75-yard scoring strike to Ian Harlan to make it up 14-0 with just less than two minutes to play in the opening frame.

It wasn’t like Meridian didn’t have chances to get on the scoreboard in the first half, though, coming up short on three different trips into the red zone.

However, OSHS linebackers Jacolby Bailey and Brody Saenz came up with timely stops, respectively, on the first two ventures and the third one resulted in a missed 38-yard field goal after MHS had a first-and-goal at the OSHS two.

“We had great linebacker play throughout the game,” Bramlett added.

After the missed kick, the Greyhounds went right back to work in extending their lead.

Ocean Springs drove 72-yards in nine plays and Berglind capped the scoring march off with a 23-yard touchdown toss to his older brother and tight end Hayden Berglind. Payton Williams’ third point after of the first 20 minutes of the new season made it 21-0 OSHS with 1:56 left in the first half.

But the visitors weren’t done just yet. After forcing Meridian into a quick and short punt on the ensuing Wildcat possession, OSHS took over with about a minute to play on the MHS 36-yard line.

Several plays later, the younger Berglind’s third scoring pass of the first half was a 22-yarder to Harlan with 22 seconds left, resulting in a commanding 27-0 lead at halftime.

That score set in motion the running clock for the remainder of the contest.

Berglind had 171 yards passing and that trio of touchdowns in the first half.

And it was more of the same in the second half, as Berglind hit Sharroid Whitehead on a 35-yard touchdown pass on the first possession. Harlan scooted in for the two point conversion, and OSHS was up 35-0 with 8:42 left in the third quarter.

“Solomon and Lanny (Waltman) were phenomenal in the backfield along with the (offensive) line and our three starting receivers all came away with a touchdown,” Bramlett concluded. “Ian Harlan had a coming out party.”

The Greyhounds are off to their first 1-0 start in three years, and their first-ever under Bramlett’s direction.

Berglind ended up throwing for 223 yards with four touchdowns to lead the Greyhounds. Harlan had a trio of catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns as well a a two-point conversion.

Ocean Springs returns home to host yet another Region 3-7A foe next week as Petal comes calling on Friday night.