By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
GULFPORT — Last season, the West Harrison football team was posied to add a huge chapter to the history book of its program after starting the season at 5-0.
However, the Hurricanes stumbled down the stretch at 1-4, including a loss to Biloxi in their final regular season game that prevented them from earning the first-ever state playoff berth for the team.
This season, veteran Hurricane head coach Quincy Patrick hopes to end that 17-year postseason drought as he enters his ninth year leading WHHS.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been nine seasons,” Patrick said, in a recent interview. “Every day is a new day. I’m living the dream, I get to coach high school football on the Gulf Coast.
Of course, our goal is to finally make the playoffs. We got to finish. It’s so cliché, but we got to finish. We started out so hot, we got bumped and bruised up, but that’s no excuse; we just got to finish. They work every day because they’re tired of answering that question about the playoffs. Every single day, someone is asking them or me that question, and I promise they’re working hard trying to make it. Every day, they’re trying to get better and have a successful day.”

The Hurricanes lost a very talented senior class that included running backs Jordan Stapleton and Sean Fairley as well as defensive lineman Jazear Carter.
“We’ve got some big shoes to fill,” Patrick added. “You can’t replace a Stapleton, you can’t replace a Carter. Every year is a new team. You just have to get a new car. We just have to drive our new car this season. and we just have to trust whoever is driving the car each week.”
Offensively, quarterback Kylon Costict will replace another departed senior in De’Mario Davies. Costict could be used in various formations.

And, even though Stapleton and Fairley combined for over 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, the cupboard is not completely bare in that room for WHHS.
That’s because both Austin McInnis and Julian Chong each started at times last year at running back due to injuries to the top two rushers, and McInnis ran for 567 yards and five scores while Chong carried for almost 400 yards as well.
In fact, McInnis got injured down the stretch last year as well hampering the playoff push for the Hurricanes.
On defense, 6-foot-3, 260-pound Kenthony Townsend returns up front to help ease the loss of Carter. Townsend recorded right at 60 total tackles last season, including nine tackles for loss and three sacks.
Behind him, Bryant Comer is back at linebacker after making 53 total stops last year.

In the secondary, standout Dean Hunter returns after he had 54 total tackles, five interceptions, and four pass breakups as well as a forced fumble.
Hunter’s five pick offs last season were tied for the most in the “Southern Six”.
The Hurricanes kick off the 2026 season on Fri., Aug. 28th at home hosting Poplarville. Last season, in the first-ever meeting between the two teams, West Harrison dumped the then defending Class 4A state champion Hornets 34-18 on the road that fueled that 5-0 start.