David

Not a drop of sarcasm. I thought that my guys could play your’s close when the season began, but O.G. kept improving and by the end were the class of the state. I’m just hoping that we can keep improving and see you in the playoffs next year. Sincere congratulations.

Congratulations on your big season. You were right from the start, even with a couple of bumps. One of the most talented rosters ever put on the field.

If y’all guarantee my Ocean Springs team a spot in a state championship game, I promise you I’d drive all the way to Memphis for a chance to watch. If a set of fans is so spoiled that an extra hour of driving time keeps a majority of em from going to support the team, then they might not deserve the chance. I don’t know of any fan base in this state that’s like that. I bet West Point still shows up every year, where ever the venue is.

I certainly agree with most of your points, including encouraging kids to be all around athletes whenever possible. Most college coaches look for a diverse background when recruiting. Still, it’s hard to blame the basketball coach for trying to hold on to his players for year round training when everyone else is doing it. Maybe the athletic director has a bigger role to play. You may have more experience than I do with AAU, but I’m seeing teams showing up in the summer with almost their exact lineup expected to play at one school in the fall, including either the head coach or some of the assistants leading them. Is that not how things are these days? I think we both wish for schools like Biloxi to take advantage of their obvious strengths and talents, but I don’t think firing the football coach every few years is the right way to bring that about.

Maybe a school like Biloxi, with multiple state championships shouldn’t take away from that basketball team in any way just to beef up the football side of things. Summer time AAU round ball requires a kid to decide between the two sports, and the coaches become recruiters in the hallways. It seems like most of Harrison county schools are that way, with only Gulfport really committed to the gridiron team.

We’ve had our discussions on here all year, but on this one, we agree. Watching the Warriors Friday night showed me a complete offense, even if their defense was challenged.

What are the actual rules on those ejected from games? If some players were officially kicked out, doesn’t that continue into the first half of the impending game? Surely there’s information on one of the state association sites.

Vote ends on Friday.

Gotta agree with that. Two best QBs this year.

I’m hoping that the chatter picks up on this one. Maybe we could use a new version of this thread with a poll. In the south, two of the most passionate fan bases in the state, with historically good playoff success, especially for Oak Grove. Brandon is again trying to break through for a state championship after falling short the past couple of years. O.G. knows how to win championships, having done it in 2013 and ‘20. Anybody who tells you that they can pick this winner is smarter than me. Up north, Starkville is back, looking to go back to back, and Madison Central has history too, having won two years ago. I would give Starkville the early nod

Hard to say that Ocean Springs underperformed without giving credit to a Meridian team that upset them in the playoffs. Still, many of us hoped that the Hounds had enough talent to make things interesting against the better 7A teams. Maybe just being disappointed means that we can expect more from the program in the future.

It’s possible that making that commitment enabled O.S. to at least get closer to competitive on the state stage. Certain long time administrators and boosters were pushed aside, and facilities improved. Biloxi would have to commit to less basketball and more athletes for football. I’m not sure the majority are willing to do that. They could have just done that while keeping a quality young man like French. Maybe, just maybe, some schools are not meant to be successful in football. It’s a shame. Some good folks are hoping for the best.

As much pain as Daniel Hill was in, there was no way he could have played on defense. In fact, they put him out at WR to give him a break. I truly believe that the only way Meridian has a shot is by limiting his plays to keep him healthy until the fourth quarter, then giving him a chance to win the game if the Wildcats are still close. I’m afraid that it won’t be that close.

Wait, you joined an hour ago?

That’s not what we do on here. State your own opinion and leave the name calling to the other sites. Besides, you read his comments wrong.

Normally I’d say “crazier things have happened”, but I don’t think that anything that crazy has ever happened. It would be cool for the underdogs, though.

My guys are eliminated, but I’m hoping to get y’all talking about these games. Can Meridian upset O.G., who won a close one last month, and can Brandon continue their win streak against an improving Pearl?. Add your north side games if you’d like.

No doubt about that. I said every week during district play that those games were not prepping the team for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Meridian runs a gauntlet where they manage to win just enough to get in. Then, they’re ready to face a team that thinks they are favored by fawty. O.S. improved its early schedule and used that to solidify its weaknesses, but couldn’t play its best game when it counted. Again, taking nothing away from the Wildcats, but O.S. didn’t seem to be ready, even with a senior laden roster. It’s high school football. Upsets are the norm.

I don’t want to think about how bad things were back then, but I do think the program has the things needed to consistently win, especially in the Coast district. Upgrading the schedule started a while back and was in full effect this year in the early season. The new stadium with the almost ready field house and facilities is the next step. The all in athletic foundation and fan support gives us a chance to keep up the base. The best in the state band, dance team, and cheer are all a part in the overall game day experience. All that said, without the best players starting early and coming up with a plan for weight training and nutrition, we won’t be able to win playoff games on a regular basis. This goes for any school football program that wants to improve. We’re down a bit after being upset by a Meridian team that seems to have our number, but overall, I think the team is set up for continued success. Wait till next year!

Thanks for the compliment. That means a lot. We’re trying to get into a position to play head to head with the big boys, which obviously means Oak Grove and others. That journey might take some ups and downs, but I do believe that the program itself is moving forward. Good luck to y’all, and hoping to see you next season.

If there’s a better 7A player than Daniel Hill on one leg, I’d like to see him. Broke tackles and even caught a long pass. I’m sure next week’s game will be harder for him, but he just might make a game of it if he recovers. While I hate to dog 17 year old kids, O.S. didn’t come to play, and your doubts about their offense were confirmed. Bad tackling to some extent also. Just being honest. Good luck going forward.

Nothing but respect and praise for the Wildcat team and especially, Mr. Hill. Could hardly walk between plays, but with the ball in his hands, single-handedly carried it to the win. Not exactly alone, but you get the point. Disappointed in the loss, but the best team doesn’t always overcome better effort on the other side. Good luck to Meridian going forward. Credit Coach Boyles. See y’all next year.

1 and 2 are in the north, 3 and 4 in the south, and never will they meet until the championship.

You might be correct, but 3 (odd) is always lower than 4 (even) just as 1 is lower than 2. I don’t know which reference the actual rule says, but technically it’s the same.

In all classifications, when two teams with identical seeding, and when both have hosted the same number of games, the team representing the odd numbered division shall host that playoff game. Usually only applies in south/north state games.