By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

OCEAN SPRINGS — This week marks the 40-year anniversary of the first football game ever played between Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.
The 39th annual battle in this intense Jackson County rivalry is set for Friday night. And it pits a pair of teams off to vastly different starts so far in this new season.
The Greyhounds host the Panthers Friday night at 7 p.m.

This rivalry returned last year after a brief two year absence. This series evolved into one of the most intense and anticipated annual affairs in South Mississippi over the years, as the teams met for 37 straight seasons since first facing off in 1986 before the series was interrupted three years ago.
Pascagoula comes in at 2-0 and OSHS is 0-2.
The Panthers have a 21-17 lead all-time. However, the Greyhounds have done their best to even out the once annual affair by bringing in a four game win streak in and OSHS has won eight of the last 10 games dating back to the 2014 campaign.
Ocean Springs has also won 12 out of the last 16 meetings dating back to the 2007 season.

Even though new Pascagoula head coach Zach Green is getting his first taste of this series in the top post, he is still very familiar with the rivalry after he coached at OSHS for three seasons as an assistant.
“You might as well take that 0-2 record of Ocean Springs and throw it out the window,” he said, Wednesday afternoon before practice. “You can’t pay attention to that. They have a great head coach and a well-established, successful program. They’ve kind of dominated this series, and I know because I’ve been on that sidelines facing Pascagoula at times. No matter what happened the past two weeks, they’ll be ready for us Friday night.”
His Panthers are coming off of a hard-fought win over another Region 4-7A foe last week, coming away with a 17-8 win over visiting Biloxi last week.
“I’m happy with our start, other than the penalties.” Green added. “Defensively we’re playing really physical and fast and we’re tackling real well. And on offense, we’ve off done a good job of setting the tone with Sean Norvell getting his touches in the running game.”

Ocean Springs, meanwhile, is coming off of a 43-21 road loss in Petal as it looks for its first win of the year.
Greyhound fourth-year head coach Jake Bramlett has bever lost to PHS, going 1-0 leading the Greyhounds and 3-0 as an assistant at OSHS.
“They are very athletic, especially at the defense back and linebacker position,” Bramlett said, of the Panthers. “Coach Green has done a great job putting in a fire in them and they’re playing really hard right now. They have been productive on offense the last few weeks with a good run game and multiple formations.”
Green said OSHS “Can push you around,” and he called Greyhound quarterback Chalmers Berglind “Very experienced and one of the best around…”.
Norvel is averaging just over 100 yards rushing per game. Panther QB1 Jason Glaude has thrown three touchdown passes and no interceptions through two games, while Bramlett said he also expects versatile senior standout Kevin Marshall behind center in some form or fashion this week also for PHS.