By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Over the past decade, prep football teams in the “Southern Six have won four state championships, played in almost 20 South State championship games and won over 20 region titles.

However, none of those 24 teams have had a whole lot of success in season-openers.

Pascagoula holds the longest current win streak for game one victories with four. All of them over longtime arch-rival Moss Point, which is 7-32 over the past four years overall.

No other team has won four straight season-openers, not Picayune, Gulfport, Poplarville or Ocean Springs has come even close to winning four straight games in the opening week of play.

Of course, all four of those Panther wins in the past four seasons came under the direction of former veteran PHS head coach Lewis Sims, a former Moss Point player and head coach. Sims retired late last year, and now head PHS head coach Zach Green looks to keep the streak in tact Friday night when he and his Panthers host the Tigers at War Memorial Stadium in the 86th annual “Battles of the Cats.”

Win needed

One “Southern Six” school comes into a new season looking for its first win in almost two years. Bay High endured a 0-9 campaign last season, and the Tigers’ come in on a 13-game losing streak, which is the longest in the area.

“Super 7” in the “Southern 6”

Every Tuesday through the first week in December, we will publish our “Super 7 in the Southern 6” weekly poll involving all 24 prep football teams in our coverage area.

The weekly poll is the only one in the state that is voted on by a panel of veteran sportswriters, a few selected area coaches and other media members.

This week is the initial rankings for 2026.

“Super 7 in the Southern 6”

1. Gulfport
2. Poplarville
3. Picayune
4. Pass Christian
5. D’Iberville
6. Biloxi
7. Ocean Springs

(Others receiving votes: Stone, Pascagoula, Pearl River Central, Gautier, West Harrison)