By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

With the kick-off for yet another prep football season across the state of Mississippi set for Thursday night, let’s get started with a bit of a different take on things as we take a quick glance at 7 things to know in the “Southern 6” this season:

7 Rivers to Cross — Or so said some old friends of mine in the Allman Brothers Band some 35 years ago. The guys in that group must have been following prep football in the “Southern Six” when they came up with that song. And that’s because even after the MHSAA expanded to seven classifications several years back, no team in that footprint in the largest classification in the state has managed to win a state football title in what has now become a quarter of a century.

In fact, he last time a team from the “Southern Six” won a state title in the largest classification in the state came 25 years ago in 2000 when Moss Point beat Clinton in Class 5A.

Moss Point returned to the title tilt the next season, in 2021, and fell to Starkville 34-0 and MPHS alumnus Bill Lee in 2001. And that’s when the issues began for the biggest schools in the “Southern Six”.

In the past two decades, only two teams from that footprint have even qualified for the state championship in the largest classification game, with the last being George County in Class 5A in 2007 and before that Ocean Springs in the same class in 2004. Both the Rebels and Greyhounds fell to then perennial state power South Panola in the title tilt.

Last year’s Class 7A state championship contest between Brandon and Tupelo marked the 17th straight season that a prep football team from the “Southern Six” has not qualified for the title tilt in the largest classification in the state.

In fact, no team from the “Southern Six” ever played for a Class 6A state title in the 15 years it was the largest classification before expansion to seven classifications two years ago.

6 New Guys — There will be six new head coaches in the “Southern Six” this season, the second time in several seasons that much turnover has taken place in the off-season. In Class 7A, Woody Cagnolatti steps up at St. Martin, while in Class 6A Kelly Causey takes over at George County, Mikey King is on the hill at Hancock and Cody Finley is in charge at Long Beach. In Class 5A there were no changes, but in Class 4A both Katlan French is new at Bay High as is Derek Jenkins at Moss Point.

Whew!

5 Old Ones — Pascagoula’s Lewis Sims is the dean and longest-tenured head coach in our foot print, as he enters his 18th season as a head coach in Jackson County. This is Sims’ 15th season at the helm of the Panthers, coming across Jefferson Street after serving for three seasons as HC at his alma mater Moss Point. Also, PRC’s John Feaster enters his 10th season as a head coach in the “Southern 6” at three different schools as he enters his second season at the helm of the Blue Devils after one year at MPHS and six seasons at Stone. Poplarville’s Jay Beech in second to Sims for tenure as he enters his 12th season leading the Hornets, and West Harrison’s Quincy Patick starts his eight season with the Hurricanes.

And, Gautier’s Marc High is heading into his eighth season leading the Gators.

4 All-Stars — A quartet of head coaches in our area will pull a little double duty at the end of the upcoming season, as they all have been selected to the staff of annual all-star games. Feaster, Patrick and Gulfport’s Blake Pennock will be assistants for the home state team in the 2025 Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Classic on Saturday, December 13 at 12 Noon at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.. Also, Picayune’s Cody Stogner will be an assistant on the South Team for the 2025 Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Game on Saturday, Dec. 20th at 11:30 a.m. at Gulfport’s Milner Stadium.

3 Of A Kind — A trio of local players (sort of) have been selected to the prestigious “Dandy Dozen” pre-season list as selected annually by The Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Picayune defensive lineman Nolan Wilson (an Alabama commit) and Pascagoula defensive back Tylan Wilson (a Texas A&M commit) both picked up that prestigious honor recently, as did Greene County wide out Trace Matthews. Matthews, a recent Auburn committ, and his Wildcats not only return to Region 8-4A this season along with Moss Point, Bay High and Pass Christian, but GCHS will also play East Central, George County, Vancleave and Gautier in non-region action this year as 70% of its schedule conatins “Southern Six” foes.

2 For the Road — Two teams from the “Southern Six”, Poplarville and Gautier, made it all the way to the state championship game last year. However, any that are fortunate enough to do so once again this year won’t be just taking a short trip north to Hattiesburg. No, the MHSAA announced last month that the seven title tilts would return to Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville on the campus of Mississippi State University again this season.

1 For the Books — Both Moss Point and St. Patrick each suffered through win-less seasons last year and will be looking for that big win to snap losing streaks as the new season unfolds.

The Fighting Irish, who finished 0-9 last year, come into the 2025 campaign on a 14-game overall losing streak dating back to a win over Ben Franklin (La.) Academy almost two years ago.

The Tigers, meanwhile, also went 0-9 last year. Once mighty Moss Point has also lost 17 out of its past 19 games dating back to the end of the 2023 season.