By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — After both teams reported here to the Hub City Tuesday afternoon, neither squad in the annual Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Football Classic wasted any time team getting to work as each team hit the practice field Tuesday night.

The two squads in the prestigious affair hit the training sessions after check-in and orientation and rules meetings and dinner at Camp Shelby and then left for on the field action as the home state squad headed to Oak Grove High for practice and Alabama went to Hattiesburg High.

The Mississippi team and the visitors will remain at the same sites all week, with two-a-day practices Wednesday and Thursday and a singe session Friday. The two teams will then face off at M.M. Roberts Stadium here in Hattiesburg on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi Saturday afternoon at Noon in the 39th annual affair that pits the top senior prep football products from each state.

A near record number of 13 standouts from the “Southern Six” will be featured in the contest this year.. The selections for both that game and the Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Football Game were announced at a press conference at the offices of the Mississippi Association of Coaches in Clinton a little over two months ago.

Offensively, Gulfport running back Cooper Crosby, fresh of earning Most Valuable Player honors in the Class 7A state championship game over the weekend, leads the way for the Mississippi squad and is joined by offensive linemen Dalton Toothman of Vancleave, Jayden Ross of Ocean Springs and Mitchell Smith of Picayune as well as tight end Hayden Berglind of OSHS.

The defensive unit is also guided by an Admiral coming off of a win in the Class 7A state championship game, as Gulfport’s Andre Peters leads that unit. The Mississippi defense also includes linemen Nolan Wilson of Picayune, Jazzer Carter of West Harrison and Jayden Curtis of St. Martin plus linebacker Caleb Triplett of D’Iberville and Jarrad Loper, Jr., of Pascagoula as well as defensive backs Tylan Wilson and Tomareo Johnson of Pascagoula.

In addition Gulfport head coach Blake Pennock, who was just named as Class 7A Coach if the Year after his Admirals nipped Tupelo 21-20 in thrilling fashion for its first-ever state title Saturday night, is serving as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Mississippi while Pearl River Central head coach John Feaster leads the defensive line and West Harrison head coach Quincy Patrick is the linebackers.

Veteran Laurel head coach Ryan Earnest is Mississippi’s head coach. Alabama is directed by Kirk Johnson, head coach at Benjamin Russell High in Alexander City.

Home-standing Alabama took a comeback 35-29 win over Mississippi in the contest last year at Hancock/Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

Alabama now leads the annual affair at 27-11 all-time after the finish at the 38th annual affair. Alabama has now won four straight.