By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

With the start of yet another prep football season across South Mississippi last week, it’s time for our fourth installment of “Weekend Rewind” here at SouthMiss6 Sports.

“Weekend Rewind” has been a part of the journalistic fabric of prep football across the “Southern Six” for most of the past three decades. Each week of the season we’ll take a look back at the action that took place all across this region the previous Friday night before we move on to the next week.

Here are seven things we noticed in the “Southern 6” Friday night:

1. Hot Hornets — It’s been 11 years and four Pearl River Central head coaches since the Blue Devils have beaten county rival Poplarville. And nothing changed Friday night. Poplarville scored 21 straight unanswered points in the first half and turned to a stout defense in the fourth quarter to hold off visiting PRC 28-21 and move to a solid 4-0 in the process. In doing so, the Hornets also handed PRC its first loss of the year, as the Blue Devils dropped to 3-1. Hornet standout senior running back Ty Keys ran for over 220 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead the way, while PHS quarterback Trac Smith delivered a pair of touchdown passes as well.
2. Warriors Rule — Pascagoula and D’Iberville fought to a scoreless tie throughout the first half here at War Memorial Stadium Friday night. But the second half was all Warriors. Standout senior quarterback Jordan Walley ran for two touchdowns and his backfield classmate Chan Harvey rushed for 136 yards and one score as D’Iberville dominated the final two quarters in shutting down the Panthers 24-0. The Warriors moved to a solid 4-0 with the win, while the Panthers drop to an even 2-2. It marked the first time Pascagoula was shutout at home in 13 years, which was a 28-0 loss also to D’Ibervile.
3. Rising Tide — Xavier Dennis led Picayune’s dominating offensive attack over Ocean Springs on Friday, defeating the Greyhounds 38-10. Dennis rushed for 252 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries. Dennis was unstoppable as he found seams in the line of scrimmage and broke free for touchdown runs of 25 yards, 22 yards, 76 yards and 69 yards.
4. Flying High — Keon McNeil threw for three touchdown passes, Latrell Pogue ran for two scores, and the defense added another two touchdowns as Gautier raced by Moss Point 47-12 Friday night here in Dantzler Stadium. McNeil, who had as many incompletions as touchdown passes, connected on 14-of-17 passes for 220 yards. He connected with six different receivers and three different receivers cross the goal line.
5. Extra Session — It all came down to one play, to win or lose. And it was Petal that made the play, a quarterback draw from junior Caiden Belton on a two-point conversion in overtime that carried the Panthers to a thrilling 40-39 victory over Gulfport Friday night at Panther Stadium. Petal remained undefeated for the season at 4-0, while the Admirals (2-1) lost for the first time since the Panthers won a year ago at Gulfport. The loss ended a program record 13-game win streak for the defending Class 7A state champs. This one had the look of two teams that may well see each other again in November, and it was a bowl of excitement from start to finish.
6. Big Win — East Central came up with its first win of the season Friday night. The Hornets went on the road and knocked off Forrest County AHS 19-7. The win moves ECH to 1-3 on the young campaign, while the Aggies are now 1-3 and dropped their third straight game. East Central quarterback Kash Litton ran for one score and threw for another in leading the way to the win. Hornet running back Trevor Stork scored the other touchdown on a run. Litton connected with tight end Kyler Seymour on his scoring strike.
7. Rebel Yell — The Rebels overcame a touchdown deficit down the stretch to pull out an exciting 31-29 road win in Waynesboro over the War Eagles Friday night. George County quarterback Maddox Dunn accounted for three touchdowns, as he threw for two scores and ran for another in the winning effort. He also ran for 100 yards on the night. Braylon Fairley scored twice, including grabbing one of Dunn’s touchdown tosses, with the other going to fullback Wyatt Spidahl. Fairley also returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown. He also had a 76-yard kick off return that set up Dunn’s scoring run. Fairley also had an interception.