By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

One of the best ways for a sportswriter to make a fool out of himself is to try and predict the weekly outcomes of any type of sporting event, but especially high school football games.

Not that I need any help, but here goes…

Have no fear, Rock’s Locks is here again y’all…

Yes, Rock’s Locks is back in South Mississippi for yet another prep football season. Rock’s Locks was a steady feature in several daily newspapers (remember those?) across South Mississippi for much of the past three decades and has been a part of the journalistic fabric of prep football across the “Southern Six” for most of that time frame as well. Each week we will attempt to provide some insight with some prep pigskin prognosticator picks and provide you readers with much material to ridicule me with I am sure.

There has been a lot of talk about Rock’s Locks over the years. But I didn’t care what was said, I decided to try and sometimes make a fool out of myself again this year.

Last year, Rock’s Locks produced one of its most successful seasons in the 30 some of years of doing this, as we checked in with a 144-28 overall overall mark for at right at 84 percent for the year.

Some big games highlight the schedule for the opening week, including quite a few all “Southern Six” showdowns. It marked. the 12th year out of the last 13 seasons I was above 75 percent.

In the words of Marvin Gaye….Let’s get it on.

1. Pascagoula at Moss Point — The 85th annual “Battle of the Cats” between these longtime arch-rivals takes place on Dantzler Street Friday night. This is the 11th time in the past 13 seasons that the Panthers and Tigers have opened the season against one another, after almost five decades of meeting in the regular season finale. Pascagoula has owned the series of late, going 10-2 on the field against MPHS since veteran head coach Lewis Sims left the Tigers to take the helm at PHS. We don’t see that changing…Pascagoula 41, Moss Point 6.
2. Picayune at Gulfport (Game of the Week) — The Maroon Tide comes calling to the coast and faces the Admirals in historic Milner Stadium Friday night. The Maroon Tide and the Admirals meet for the 11th consecutive season, after Gulfport headed up to Pearl River County and thumped Picayune 41-21 last season. That win by the Admirals last year snapped a five game Maroon Tide win streak in the series. We see Picayune starting a new streak in this one…Picayune 27, Gulfport 24.
3. Gautier at George County — These two teams face off on the football field for the first time in three years, as the defending Class 5A South State champion Gators head north to tangle with the Rebels in Lucedale at Gill-Martin Stadium. The Gators bombed the visiting Rebels 49-21 in 2022, to snap a three game GCHS winning streak in this series. We see more of the same as this rivalry is renewed…Gautier 30, George County 13.
4. West Harrison at Poplarville — A historic meeting in more ways than one for both squads as the defending Class 4A state champ Hornets host the Hurricanes. West Harrison has moved up a level to Class 7A, and for the first time ever will be competing in the largest classification in the state. And, this will mark the first-ever meeting on the football field between the Hurricanes and Hornets. It will also be the first time the Hornets step on the field as state champions and the first time Poplarville has ever played a Class 7A program in football. It won’t matter…Poplarville 26, West Harrison 21.
5. Long Beach at Pass Christian — The Bearcats head west down Highway 90 a few miles for the debut of a new head coach in Cody Finley to face the home-standing Pirates at McDonald Stadium Friday night in the annual “Oyster Bowl”. This marks the 66th overall meeting between the two neighboring rivals, and Long Beach snapped a four game losing streak to PCHS in the annual battle last season with a 28-21 win. We think the Pirates will begin a new streak this week…Pass Christian 34, Long Beach 14.
6. St. Martin at Vancleave — The Yellow Jackets also have a new head coach in Woody Cagnolatti as they face off with the Bulldogs Friday night in the season-opener for both teams. St. Martin snapped a 17 game overall losing streak in week one last year with a surprising 24-14 win over visiting Vancleave. We see the Bulldogs seeking a slight measure of revenge in this one…Vancleave 20, St. Martin 14.
7. Ocean Springs at Meridian — When Ocean Springs opens the 2025 prep football season on the road at historic Ray Stadium against the Wildcats Thursday night, it’ll mark an historic outing for both teams. The contest will mark the first time ever that the Greyhounds and Wildcats have ever met in the regular season. Ocean Springs and once perennial state power Meridian have met four times overall, but all four of those meetings came in the state playoffs and the Wildcats have won all four of the past games. That all changes tonight…Ocean Springs 42, Meridian 14.

A Six Pack to Go:

Hancock 27, Stone 23

PRC 23, Bay High 14

Greene County 7, East Central 6

St. Stanislaus 16, Forrest County AHS 14

Biloxi 21, Holmes County Central 17

D’Iberville 30, Raleigh 13