By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — For the third straight season, George County and Hancock will face off in the Class 6A South State playoffs.
And, this time around, one team will gain the upper hand in this recent rivalry.
The defending Class 6A State champion Lady Rebels host the Lady Hawks the opening game of a three game series Thursday night. Game two will take place Friday at Hancock High, with both contests slated to start at 6 p.m. A third and final game, if needed, will be back in Lucedale Saturday at a time to be determined.

George County, the top seed in Region 3-6A, is a solid 24-6 overall, while Hancock, the second seed in Region 4-6A, is 14-9-1. The two teams were league foes for the past two seasons in Region 4-6A, before the Lady Rebels were shipped north over the Summer into new surroundings.
This match-up came in the Class 6A South State finals the past two campaigns, and either the Lady Rebels or Lady Hawks have represented the South in the state finals of first Class 5A then Class 6A for the past three years. George County captured state titles in Class 5A in 2023 and then again last season in Class 6A, after sweeping the Lady Hawks in two close games (3-2, 1-0) to win the South State crown.
The Lady Rebels then went on to take two of three games from Neshoba Central in the state championship series.
Two years ago, Hancock fell to South Panola in two straight games in the state title round after taking two of three games from GCHS in the South State finals.

George County carries a four game win streak over Hancock into the latest series, with all four wins coming last season.
The Lady Rebels dispatched Pascagoula quickly in two straight games to open the playoffs over the weekend.
Meanwhile, it took the Lady Hawks three games to turn back West Jones in that match-up, which ended Monday night.
The winner of the series will face either PRC or Picayune in the Class 6A South State finals next week.