Sports - High School

Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Two region titles to be decided on Friday night

HCHS, St. Stanislaus 1-2 in rankings

The curtain has been drawn back a bit, and now all the playoff implications are on the table for the final week of the regular season.

St. Stanislaus is the exception, having clinched the Division 8-4A title last Friday. The second-ranked Rockachaws open the 4A state playoffs at home this Friday against Quitman.

For six members of the Sun Herald South Mississippi Top 10, this Friday is all about where you will be seeded and who will reign as region champions.

Harrison Central, No. 1 in the Sun Herald ranking, only needs to win Friday night at home against Hancock, and the Red Rebels (9-1) would open the 6A state playoffs at home on Nov. 13.

Whether the Red Rebels end up as Region 4-6A champions depends on the outcome of the meeting in Lucedale between No. 3 Ocean Springs (8-2) and No. 5 George County (7-3).

If the Rebels and Red Rebels win, George County would be the region champion and Harrison Central would be the runner-up. A

n Ocean Springs victory combined with a Harrison Central victory would make Harrison Central No. 1 in the region and Ocean Springs No. 2. If Ocean Springs wins and Hancock upsets Harrison Central, Ocean Springs would be the region champion.

Things are a little more lucid and straightforward for No. 4 Moss Point (8-2) and No. 6 Gautier (7-3). The two teams meet Friday in Gautier for the Region 4-5A championship.

The winner takes the region and the loser is the runner-up.

Seventh-ranked Picayune (6-3) still has a shot to be No. 2 in Region 3-5A after its heartbreaking 21-20 overtime loss at West Jones.

The Maroon Tide takes second place with a win over the Wayne County War Eagles on Friday. If the Tide loses, it would finish in third in the region.

For eighth-ranked Gulfport (5-5) and ninth-ranked Stone (5-5), pride and a winning season are on the line. Gulfport visits arch-rival Biloxi in a televised game on Friday, part of the Y’all vs. Us series from Cellular South. Stone High travels to McComb to close out its season.

Three of Gulfport’s losses came by seven points or less, while Stone had a six-point loss to Wayne County and three-point loss in triple overtime to Brookhaven.

Tenth-ranked Bay High (5-5) concluded its season on Oct. 23.