By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

OCEAN SPRINGS — There are only a few prep football teams in the state that can look at a 9-2 record, one that included just one regular season loss, as a disappointment, but that’s likely how most Ocean Springs folks felt after last season..

After all, not only did the Greyhounds see a program record 25 game region win streak end, but a string of four consecutive league championships was stopped as well.

And, even though OSHS still posted that impressive 8-1 mark last year, a stunning 13-10 upset loss to visiting Brandon to open the Class 7A South State playoffs brought the season to a sudden halt.

But, this season brings mostly a new cast of characters to the forefront for the Greyhounds, and with that comes a new sense of purpose to get back to the top spot in Region 4-7A once again.

“This group has had a taste of it,” OSHS head coach Jake Bramlett said in a recent interview. “They had a taste of it their freshman year when they were with that group that went to south state, so they know what it feels like to continue to win, to practice on Thanksgiving, and to get really close. Last year, you have a really good regular season and kind of falter right there in the first round. It is just going to take the growing pains. The growth of them knowing it takes a whole lot to get there and those guys understand that. They know that now. It is still going to take a lot more growth through the season to make a long playoff run with a young team but these guys are capable of anything.”

The Greyhounds lost around 15 starters from last year, and get around seven returning starters back. The senior class is rather small, with just seven in that group, meaning that Bramlett will be counting on a corps of key juniors as he enters his fourth year at the helm of the Greyhounds.

“They’re a unique group. They really love football,” he added. “The junior class is one of those groups that you watched in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade, and they know how to practice and they love football. You can spot the ball and let them go for an hour and a half, and they’ll keep on rolling. They’ll keep tackling each other, get back up, grin and keep going. Their identity is going to be something a little bit different than what we’re used to here with the lack of seniors on the football team. It’s going to be a different year, but their mindset is on an upper level right now. It’s a very good work ethic. They show up and take care of each other, and I’m excited to see how they respond on Friday nights.”

Leading the charge is one of the most experienced juniors in the “Southern Six” in starting quarterback Chalmers Berglind.

Berglind actually eased his way onto the scene in prep football circles in the “Southern Six” late in his freshman season, sharing some time behind center down the stretch.

He then took over full time last year during his sophomore campaign, and as QB1 for the Greyhounds did a solid job as he passed for 1,685 yards while connecting on 92 passes in 146 attempts last season for an impressive 63% completion rate with 17 touchdowns while averaging 153.2 passing yards per game in the process.

Berglind displayed his potential in a pre-region match-up against perennial state power Picayune when he completed 10-of-13 throws for 326 yards and four touchdowns in an eye-opening 56-42 win over the Maroon Tide. That outing included a career-long 99-yard scoring strike, as well as an average completion rate of almost 33 yards per reception.

“It will be nice to return a starting quarterback for the first time since I’ve been the head coach here,” Bramlett added. “He started every game last year, and he played a good bit as a freshman. And the growth from year to year is going to be key for him, and we’re expecting a really big jump this year. The game has slowed down for him a little bit. He’s doing a great job at practice with his reads and understanding what we’re trying to do and learning the defensive side of the ball.”

Lanny Waltman returns at running back. Also a junior, he ran for 520 yards and eight touchdowns last year.

Key contributions are expected out of Landon Carter out wide as well.

The Greyhounds have to find a way to replace versatile standout Sharroid Whitehead as well as leading rusher Solomon baggett from last year. The two combined for more than 1,900 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns on the ground as well as over 700 yards receiving and nine scores in the air.

Also gone is tight end Wyatt Berglind, one of his little brothers top targets.

Sebastaian Pabon is back up front to spur the offensive line.

Defensively, Keagan Lymon returns on the defensive line, after he made seven tackles for loss and two sacks last year. He may also help out in the trenches on the other side of the ball thes season as well.

Yet another junior, Santiago Gaetan, leads the charge defensively for OSHS after he recorded 53 total tackles last year. Also, linebacker Bryshon Hathorn returns after logging 73 total stops last year.

“This will be this group’s third year dressing out as varsity players for the juniors,” Bramlett concluded. “We brought them up in ninth grade knowing that this year was going to be coming at some point and we need them to step up and be seniors now. They’re starting to look like it now, being in the weight room for that long, and having that much field and playing experience. They are really like a class of redshirt juniors because they have got a little extra work in them.”

The Greyhounds open the season up at home, a day early, on Thursday, Aug. 27th, hosting Meridian.