By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Ocean Springs is off to a 3-0 start on the new season.
The Greyhounds clawed out a hard-fought 21-14 win over home-standing Pascagoula Friday night at War Memorial Stadium. Ocean Springs is 3-0 for the first time in three years, and the decision drops PHS to 1-2 overall for the first time in four years.
“Both teams had a lot of fight in them,” OSHS head coach Jake Bramlett said. “We would have liked to have put more points on the scoreboard, but it is what it is. We got it done.”
The teams traded blows in the first half, when all the scoring took place.

Pascagoula defensive back Kaiden Street picked off a pass and returned it 54-yards for a touchdown less than a minute into the game to put the Panthers up quickly 7-0.
Greyhound running back Solomon Baggett tallied a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first half, and his first, a 7-yarder, came on the ensuing OSHS possession after the interception return to tie things up at 7-7 with 7:12 on the clock.
Pascagoula responded with a 52-yard kickoff return to the OSHS 45 by D’Lass Nunnery, and Panther quarterback Jason Glaude found Nunnery several plays later on a 27-yard scoring strike to put PHS up 14-7 at the end of the opening frame.
The Panthers had a golden opportunity to extend their lead just after that, thanks to an interception by Tomareo Johnson that he returned deep in OSHS territory.
But the Greyhounds turned PHS away, blocking a field goal attempt.
Baggett once again knotted things up on 3-yard scoring plunge to make it 14-14 just over three minutes into the second stanza.

Then, the Greyhounds took a 21-14 lead at the 2:53 mark on a 47-yard touchdown toss from quarterback Chalmers Berglind to his tight end and older brother Hayden Berglind.
Pascagoula played all game without starting senior tailback Amarie Jackson, who was out with an injury, as well as most of the contest without starting quarterback Jason Glaude. Linebacker Jarrad Loper took over behind center when Glaude was knocked out of the game, and did an admirable job.
“That was a battle Royale!” veteran PHS head coach Lewis Sims said. “Ocean Springs took the air out of the ball on offense and we were never able to get any momentum in the secnd half. Credit them with executing in the second quarter and overcoming our fast start. Very proud of the effort our kids played with for 48 minutes. Games like this prepare you for region play and make you a better team in the long run. Our team is on the edge of putting it all together. You play good teams if you want to beat good teams.”

There would be no further scoring in the second half.
However, midway through the fourth quarter, OSHS forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs at the Greyhound 26. Ocean Springs then reeled off four straight first downs to run out the clock with the ball at the PHS 32.
“We talked all week about situational football,” Bramlett added. “We did a great job there. And our defense played real well, we only gave up one touchdown.”