By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

ST. MARTIN — The St. Martin football team hasn’t had a winning season since 2019.
But, the Yellow Jackets had already clinched their first winning mark in six years under new head coach Woody Cagnolatti even before the calendar flipped to November.
Now, however, a win over arch-rival Ocean Springs Thursday night in the regular season finale will also send St. Martin into the south state playoffs for the first time in seven years as well. 

That’s because St. Martin went into its open date last week coming off of a resounding 50-13 win over Harrison Central that the Yellow Jackets hoped would bolster its sinking state playoff chances. And, despite not playing a game last week, that’s exactly what happened.
Biloxi’s stunning overtime defeat over West Harrison threw the chase for the fourth and final playoff spot in Region 4-7A all up in the air between the Indians and Yellow Jackets. And, while there are several tie-breaking scenarios that favor both sides, the easier formula for the Yellow Jackets is they have to win to have a chance.

But it won’t be easy.

St. Martin sits at 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the region race. The Yellow Jackets have made the state playoffs just four times in 44 years since a state-wide playoff system was implemented in the state.
Meawhile, the Greyhounds, who have secured the second seed in the region race and are heading to the postseason for the eighth straight season, really have nothing at stake this week except for extending St. Martin’s playoff drought.
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 has made it to the South State finals twice in the past three seasons, falling to Brandon at home both time in Class 6A in 2022 and in Class 7A last season.While St. Martin was resting up last week, the Greyhounds thumped hap-less Harrison Central 35-0. Head coach Jake Bramlett’s OSHS squad moved to solid 8-1 overall with the win and to 4-1 in the region race.