By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

OCEAN SPRINGS — The Class 7A South State playoff opener pitting Ocean Springs vs. Brandon Friday night is this week’s “Vertical Raise Game of the Week” for SouthMiss6 Sports.

Each week during the prep football season, SouthMiss6 Sports will feature a “GOTW” sponsored by Vertical Raise, the premier online fundraising platform for athletic teams and associated clubs and supporters of all ages.

The third meeting in the state playoffs in the past four meetings between these two familiar foes takes place once again in Greyhound Stadium as the Bulldogs come south for the third time 36 months. Ocean Springs is the second seed from Region 4-7A and Brandon the third seed from Region 3-7A.

“We are happy to have a home game to start this playoff run,” OSHS third year head coach Jake Bramlett said, before practice Thursday afternoon. “That’s been one of our goals all season to make sure that we start off the playoffs at home, and I feel like we are getting exactly what we wanted just a little bit earlier than planned.”

The teams have met seven times in the past two decades, with Brandon winning the last six including 34-31 on a last second field goal three years ago in the Class 6A South State championship as well as thumping OSHS 31-13 last year in the Class 7A South State title tilt.

“The majority of our starters were on the field about 345 days ago playing the same team,” Bramlett added. “I told them to never forget that feeling and they haven’t. They worked all off season then the summer and fall preparing to beat the teams like this that will get you all the way to the end.”

The only OSHS win came 20 years ago in the opening round of 2005 state playoffs 19-12 in the first ever meeting between the teams.

“Even though Brandon wasn’t on our schedule, it has been circled all year.” Bramlett concluded. “We have had some great days of practice this week with some great focus and intensity in our preparation, and I feel confident in saying that you are going to see a great ball game on Friday night. We need to attack this ball game with the same mentality that we have had towards Brandon since December 1st of last year.”

As the premier online undraising platform, Vertical Raise utilizes the newest technology through a tested combination of email, text and social media campaigns to maximize the reach of your fundraiser.

Our successes are built upon our best-in-class email deliverability, detailed tracking and the complete personalization of every participant’s page. Combining this proprietary system, with experienced and passionate fundraising coaches has made us the most effective fundraising platform available.