By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

The prep football season is winding down.

And, as usual, Rock’s Locks is back to fill y’all in on it all.

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.

Rock’s Locks went 10-3 last week, to move to an even 100-33 so far for a winning percentage of 75% on the season. The playoffs begin for a few teams while the regular season ends for many others this week.

In the words of Lyle Lovett…“If I had a boat, I’d go out on the ocean…and if i had a pony, I’d ride him on my boat…”

1. South Pike at Pass Christian (Game of the Week) — An historic regular season for the Pirates results in them hosting this opening round game in the Class 4A South State playoffs Friday night in what has become the friendly confines of Buddy McDonald Stadium Friday night. Pass is in the postseason for the third straight season under the direction of head coach Jeff Stockstill, and the 9-1 Pirates are a perfect 5-0 at home this season. Stockstill’s squad is the top seed in Region 8-4A for the first time ever, after winning a region title for the first time since the implementation of a statewide playoff system in the state of Mississippi 44 years ago. South Pike comes in at 3-6 overall and as the fourth seed in Region 7-4A. This is just the second meeting all-time between the two teams, after the Jaguars thumped PCHS 48-6 in the second round of the playoffs in 2019. Pass Christian 42, South Pike 28.
2. Gautier at Pascagoula — The renewal of the “Singing River Classic” sees the Gators head east down U.S. Highway 90 a bit to take on the Panthers at War Memorial Stadium Thursday night in the regular season finale for both teams. Pascagoula leads this all-time series 13-9, after an exciting 38-31 home win by Gautier last season. And even though the Gators moved up a classification and into Region 4-6A with PHS this year, There’s not much drama involved in this annual affair this year though as the Panthers have already secured the second seed in the region race and Gautier will miss the state playoffs for the first time in five years. Pascagoula 28, Gautier 24.
3. Biloxi at D’Iberville — For the third straight season these two neighboring rivals end the regular season against one another on a Thursday night, and for the second consecutive season the contest carries with it playoff implications in Region 4-7A. The Warriors have already clinched a berth in the upcoming Class 7A South State playoffs, and even though the Indians are in a much better position to still be playing next week than they were next week, they still need some things to go just right this week to clinch another postseason berth. This is the 35th all-time meeting between the two teams on the gridiron, and the Indians hold a slight 19-15 lead after Biloxi pulled out a wild 24-23 come-from-behind win last year at home. That decision put the Indians up 5-4 over the last nine meetings. All 34 meetings between the two have come since a state-wide playoff system was implemented in the state of Mississippi in 1981. D’Iberville 30, Biloxi 28.
4. Ocean Springs at St. Martin — Yet another case in Region 4-7A play where one team has already clinched a berth in the the upcoming Class 7A South State playoffs while the other is still looking for a path to do so as well. The Greyhounds are the second seed in the league and really have nothing at stake this week. The Yellow Jackets need a win to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time in seven years. This marks the 61st all-time meeting between the two teams on the football field, and OSHS has completely dominated the series 49-11. The Greyhounds have won seven straight in the series, and 18 out of the last 19, after a 42-15 win last season. Ocean Springs 42, St. Martin 21.
5. PRC at Picayune — The longtime and neighboring rivals face off in November for the second straight season at Lee-Triplett Stadium Thursday night as this old time rivalry is renewed to end the regular season for the first time since 2018. The Maroon Tide leads the all-time series 27-6, and Picayune has won eight straight over the Blue Devils with the last PRC win coming in the regular season finale in 2015 also in Picayune. The Maroon Tide, which is on a 28-game region win streak, is the top seed from Region 4-6A once again and just won their fifth straight league title, while PRC is the fourth seed from Region 4-6A and is returning to the state playoffs for the second straight season. Picayune 49, PRC 28.
6. Harrison Central at Gulfport — There is literally nothing at stake for either team this week as the regular season comes to an end Thursday night for both teams. The Admirals have already secured the Region 4-7A championship, and the Red Rebels will miss the state playoffs for the fourth time in the past six years. Gulfport 47, Harrison Central 14.
7. Poplarville at Forrest County AHS — The defending Class 4A state champion Hornets open defense of their crown in Brooklyn Friday night. Poplarville finished as the third seed in Region 7-4A, while the Aggies earned the second seed behind Pass Christian in Region 8-4A. Poplarville 40, FCAHS 18.

A Six Pack to Go:

Stone 27, East Central 7

Purvis 21, Vancleave 12

Columbia 77, Moss Point 7

Hancock 45, Long Beach 6

George County 35, Jackson Forrest Hill 7

Franklin County 28, St. Patrick 0