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 turned in another 10-3 worksheet…

In the words of Widespread Panic….”Well I can’t sleep, I’ve been up all night…”

1. Picayune at Poplarville (Game of the Week) — The battle for supremacy in Pearl River County is set for Friday night as the Hornets head south down I-59 to face the home-standing Maroon Tide. This is the 20th all time meeting between PMHS and PHS on the football field, and perennial state power Picayune holds a commanding 16-3 advantage in the series. Picayune has won five straight in this series, as well as 12 out of the past 13 meetings. But, its the Hornets that come into this one unbeaten at 4-0 while the Tide are an even 2-2. Poplarville hasn’t won in Picayune in 51 years, since a 6-2 win in 1975. We like the homefield advantage in this one…Picayune 31, Poplarville 28.
2. Pascagoula at Gulfport — The 101st all-time meeting between the Panthers and the Admirals on the gridiron takes place Friday at the brand new on-campus stadium at GHS. The Admirals have won five straight in the series, and seven out of the past eight. This game marks the final non-region game of the season for both teams as well. Gulfport leads the all-time series handily at 60-37-3, and this marks the second five game win streak all-time in the annual affair for GHS. New PHS head coach Zach Green returns to lead his Panthers up against the program he helped guide to the Class 7A state title last season as defensive coordinator for the Admirals. Gulfport 35, Pascagoula 14.
3. George County at Stone — And speaking of new stadums, when the Tomcats host the Rebels Friday night its scheduled to be the first game ever in the new on-campus venue for the Tomcats as well. This series between the two old Gulf Coast Conference rivals  was renewed last season after an 11-yar hiatus. Ironically enough, George County is Stone’s longest-running series of all-time, as the two teams have faced off 69 times in a series that dates back to 1925. In fact, the two teams met annually on the football field for over four decades, from 1963-2004 when the series halted. The Rebels lead the all-time series 42-26-1, after a 13-0 win in Lucedale last season. We like the Tomcats…Stone 23, George County 20.
4. St. Martin at West Harrison — Just the sixth all-time meeting between the Yellow Jackets and Hurricanes takes place this week as Region 4-7A play begins for both teams. The two teams have split the past four meetings, after a 26-21 road win by WHHS last year. The two teams first met in 2009. St. Martin is 4-0 for the second straight season, and WHHS sits at 2-2. This one won’t be that close…St. Martin 42, West Harrison 13.
5. Biloxi at Ocean Springs — A pair of teams each in dire need of a win square off as the Greyhounds head east a piece to face their neighboring rival Indians to open Region 4-7A play this week. Both teams are off to respective 1-3 starts, and both are coming off of rough losses last week. This marks the 54th all-time meeting between these two old rivals on the football field, and the all-time series is just about as close as any in the “Southern Six”. A 31-6 win by OSHS last season pushed the Greyhounds up by three, at 28-25, in the all-time affair. Ocean Springs has now won nine straight games in the series to set a record. This one will be close...Ocean Springs 9, Biloxi 7.
6. Moss Point at Vancleave— The Bulldogs host the Tigers Friday in the renewal of this all Jackson County rivalry. The Bulldogs are 2-2 overall, and MPHS is 0-4, and both teams are coming off of losses last week.This all-time series dates back just 19 years, to 2007, and is one in all truthfulness most old time followers of prep football along the Mississippi Gulf Coast could never even imagine would have ever happened to begin with. Moss Point holds a slight 8-7 advantage in the series, even after a disastrous 69-18 pounding at home on Dantzler Street at the hands of the Bulldogs last season. The Bulldogs even the series up Friday night. Vancleave 41, Moss Point 26.
7. Pass Christian at East Central — A pair of teams off to different starts but each coming off of a win meet up in Shirley Stadium this week as the Hornets host the unbeaten Pirates. Pass is off to just its second 4-0 start in the past 51 years, while ECHS comes in at 1-3 after slipping past Forrest County AHS 19-7 on the road last week. This series dates back to 1959, and pits a pair of old Pascagoula River Conference rivals. The affair was renewed last season after a seven year absence, and PCHS slipped past visiting ECHS 35-33 to take a 21-15 overall advantage in the all-time series. The Pirates will make it two straight. Pass Christian 45, East Central 8.

A Six pack to go:

D’Iberville 56, Harrison Central 7

Gautier 28, Greene County 27

St. Patrick 21, Resurrection 14

PCS 55, Bay High 15

PRC 28, Sumrall 21

Oak Grove 66, Laurel 16