By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Pascagoula and Gulfport are set for an historic showdown Friday night.

The 100th all-time meeting between the Panthers and the Admirals on the gridiron takes place this week at War Memorial Stadium. This marks the renewal of this longtime rivalry after a two year break, and Gulfport thumped Pascagoula 48-24 in 2022.

The Admirals have also won four straight in the series, and six out of the past seven. This game marks the final non-region game of the season for both teams as well.

Gulfport leads the all-time series handily at 59-37-3, and this marks the second four game win streak all-time for GHS in the series, which also owns a five game win streak as well as a record six game win streak in the past over PHS.

Pascagoula comes in at 1-3 overall and on a three game losing streak after a big win over Moss Point to open the season. Gulfport is 1-2, and the Admirals are coming off of a last second 25-24 home loss to Petal last week.

The Panthers have suffered some key injuries recently, including standout senior starting tailback Amarie Jackson who is expected to be out again tonight.

Also, Panther linebacker Jarrad Loper has stepped in as the starting quarterback after starter Jason Gladue was injured two weeks ago.

New GHS quarterback Parker Nettle completed 17 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns in that loss, while Admiral running back Cooper Crosby totaled 171 all-purpose yards and ran for a score for a score as well.

This series dates back to 1918, and GHS is Pascagoula’s oldest all-time foe on the gridiron. Beginning in 1933, the two teams met every year for the next 79 years through the 2012 season.

That span included two meetings in the same season since a state-wide playoff system was implemented in Mississippi in 1981. In 1983, Pascagoula won in week one of the regular season 14-7 and then the Panthers doubled up in the postseason with a 7-0 win in Biloxi at The Shrimp Bowl.

Five years later, in the 1988 season, Pascagoula beat Gulfport in the regular season 14-7 as PHS was coming off of a unbeaten run to the state. championship in 1987. But, in the second round of the state playoffs later that same year, Gulfport ended Pascagoula’s quest for back-to-back state titles with a 12-9 win at home in historic Milner Stadium