By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

One of the best ways for a sportswriter to make a fool out of himself is to try and predict the weekly outcomes of any type of sporting event, but especially high school football games.

Not that I need any help, but here goes…

Have no fear, Rock’s Locks is here again y’all…

Yes, Rock’s Locks is back in South Mississippi for yet another prep football season. Rock’s Locks was a steady feature in several daily newspapers (remember those?) across South Mississippi for much of the past three decades and has been a part of the journalistic fabric of prep football across the “Southern Six” for most of that time frame as well. Each week we will attempt to provide some insight with some prep pigskin prognosticator picks and provide you readers with much material to ridicule me with I am sure.

There has been a lot of talk about Rock’s Locks over the years. But I didn’t care what was said, I decided to try and sometimes make a fool out of myself again this year.

Last week, Rock’s Locks got off to a solid start at 10-3..

Some big games highlight the schedule for the opening week, including a few key all “Southern Six” showdowns. 

In the words of John Hiatt….”Come on baby drive south”….

1. Pascagoula at Biloxi (Game of the Week) — As the Indians head east a piece down U.S. Highway 90 to renew this old Big Eight Conference rivalry, it’ll mark the 102nd meeting ever on the gridiron between the schools. The series is the longest-running rivalry for the Panthers in football, and the second longest for the Indians. This is a match-up of two new head coaches, in Zach Green at PHS and Eric Collier at BHS> Pascagoula leads the all-time series 53-44-4. The two teams have split the last six meetings dating back to 2018. We think Biloxi got tested a bit more last week than did the Panthers, and that might just make the difference in this one…Biloxi 24, Pascagoula 17.
2. Gautier at D’Iberville — Two teams coming off solid season-opening wins face off in week two as the Warriors host the Gators. Gautier is looking for its first 2-0 start to a season in five years, while the Warriors are looking to go 2-0 for the second straight season. This is the 21st overall meeting between the two teams, and the Warriors smacked the Gators 42-17 last season. The series is now all tied up at 10-10, and the winner will take the lead this week. D’Iberville 27, Gautier 26.
3. East Central at St. Martin — A pair of teams coming off vastly different starts to the new campaign tangle in an all Jackson County affair as the Yellow Jackets host the Hornets. This is the 54th all-time meeting in this cross-county affair, and the Yellow Jackets have won eight of the last nine games over the past 15 years including a solid 34-14 win last year. Expect that trend to continue this week…St. Martin 42, East Central 14.
4. Harrison Central at Hancock — Two teams coming off losses to open the season face off at Brett Favre Field in the Kiln. Even though HCHS leads the all-time series, which dates back 65 years to 1960, 22-12, the series has been one of the most competitive in South Mississippi since 2011 with HCHS up just slightly with seven wins in the last 13 games after taking the lead with a 31-14 win last year. We see a homefield advantage this time...Hancock 35, Harrison Central 20.
5. Stone at Poplarville — The Tomcats and the Hornets are coming off of big wins offensively last week in the season-opener for each team. This one is a match-up between some of the top running backs around. The two teams will meet for the 56th time on the gridiron this week, and Poplarville has won three straight in this series as well as well as 11 out of the past 13 and 13 out of the past 16 meetings in the past 20 years. That streal goes on. Poplarville 42, Stone 31.
6. Ocean Springs at Petal — Two Class 7A teams that go out to completely different starts last week clash this week, as the Greyhounds make their first trip to Petal in 17 years. This is the 12th all-time meeting between OSHS-Petal in football in a series that dates back to 1973, and the Greyhounds hold an 8-3 advantage. This will mark the first appearance ever for OSHS in Petal’s new stadium, which opened in 2010. It won’t be one to remember…Petal 30, Ocean Springs 21.
7. Bay High at St. Stanislaus — Both the Rocks and Tigers are coming off of losses in their respective season-openers last week. This week, the two teams will meet in the annual “Battle for the Crab Trap” for the 58th all-time meeting between the two neighboring rivals, the longest-running rivarly ever for SSC. Bay High has only met Pass Christian more times (72). The two teams have combined for just one win and 27 losses over their past 14 games respectively, And that lone win was the SSC win over the Tigers last year. St. Stanislaus 16, Bay High 6.

A Six pack to go:

Jackson Academy 28, Picayune 24

Jackson Lanier 33, Moss Point 13

Richland 37, Vancleave 16

South Jones 28, George County 17

Pass Christian 23, Purvis 20

Sacred Heart 14, St. Patrick 7