Here’s every South Mississippi football team that could clinch a playoff berth this week
There are only two weeks left on the regular season schedule in South Mississippi, and only one week remaining for some.
Heading into the final leg of the race to the postseason, there are now only four playoff spots available for Coast teams that have not yet secured their ticket.
Here’s everyone who is in and each team who can clinch this week.
District champions
Poplarville
The Hornets pulled off a come-from-behind victory over Columbia Friday, 20-18. The win gave Poplarville the Region 7-4A title. It’s the school’s 12 district crown and sixth in the last nine seasons.
Head coach John Feaster successfully brought Stone its first district title in 28 years with a 38-0 win over Pass Christian that sealed its spot on top R8-4A. When the Tomcats take the field in the playoffs, Feaster will be the school’s all-time leader in postseason appearances with seven.
Clinched
St. Stanislaus
With its 38-14 win over Perry Central, the Rock-a-Chaws moved to 3-0 in district play and locked in their playoff trip. St. Stanislaus and Jeff Davis County meet this week to decide the winner of R8-3A.
Moss Point
Moss Point has just two wins this year, but that’s all it needed to clinch a playoff berth for the 11th straight year. The R8-4A postseason cast is set with Stone, Pass Christian and Greene County joining the Tigers in the playoffs.
Picayune and Gautier
Both the Maroon Tide and the Gators sealed their playoff spots this past week and are now a couple weeks away from running into each other for what could be the district title game. Both are 5-0 out of R4-5A and have games against the bottom of the region this week.
Ocean Springs, Gulfport and Biloxi
Three of the four coveted spots from R4-6A were taken this past Friday by the Greyhounds, Admirals and Indians. If Ocean Springs tops Gulfport this week, it’ll be crowned district champs. If Gulfport wins and Biloxi beats Hancock, that sets up a region title bout between those two schools in a couple of weeks.
Win and in
East Central
The Hornets lost a high-scoring affair with Gautier last week, but a win over George County this week would lock up East Central’s postseason seat.
Vancleave
All signs point to this week’s Vancleave vs West Harrison battle as the biggest factor in determining who takes the final playoff spot out of R4-5A. A win by the Bulldogs would have them in the playoffs for the third time under Kevin Fant.
Hancock
There’s one more spot up for grabs in R4-6A and only two teams left to take it: Hancock (3-2) and Harrison Central (2-3). If the Hawks take down Biloxi this week or Harrison Central loses to D’Iberville, Hancock will be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The Red Rebels need to beat both the Warriors and Ocean Springs while Hancock will need to lose out in order for Harrison Central to see the postseason.
Work to do
Resurrection
There’s only playoff spot left in R8-1A and Resurrection’s loss to Mount Olive greatly hurt its chances of grabbing it. Both teams are 2-3 in the district with two games left. If Mount Olive wins both, the Eagles are eliminated. If Mount Olive loses out, Resurrection will only need to win one. If Mount Olive wins one, Resurrection will have to win both of its last contests.
West Harrison
The Hurricanes are 2-3 and just outside the top four of R4-5A. There are a couple of playoff scenarios available to West Harrison. First, beating Vancleave and Pearl River Central while East Central or Vancleave loses out will put it in the postseason for the first time ever.
The simple scenario is to beat Vancleave and set up an “or” situation in the final week. That would leave both schools at 3-3 with one game left, meaning a West Harrison win or a Vancleave loss would place the Hurricanes in the top four.
George County
The Rebels are 1-4 and need a lot to go their way for an extension of their season out of R4-5A. Firstly, George County must win out, meaning wins over East Central and Long Beach. It also needs East Central to lose to Vancleave at the end of the year.
And thirdly, it needs West Harrison to lose to both Vancleave and Pearl River Central. If East Central or West Harrison wins just once, the Rebels are out.
Eliminated
Bay High
The Tigers dropped their contest with Moss Point last week, officially burying any hopes of reaching the playoffs for the third straight year. Bay High is riding a five-game losing streak and finishes its season against the red-hot Tomcats.
Long Beach
Year one under Jacob Massey has not gone well. Long Beach is a historically difficult place to win and 2022 is proving no different. The Bearcats are 0-9 and allowing a hair under 50 points per game.
Pearl River Central
The Blue Devils have one win this year and it came against fellow R4-5A cellar dweller Long Beach. This will be the seventh year in a row on the outside of the postseason for PRC.
Pascagoula
Three times have already been locked out in R4-6A and the Panthers are one of them. An 0-5 start to district play, including a double-overtime loss to D’Iberville and a near-upset over Biloxi, has Pascagoula on the outside looking in for the second straight year.
St. Martin
The program has only five playoff appearances in school history and it’ll have to wait at least another year to earn a sixth. The Yellow Jackets are 0-5 in their region but have opportunities to build momentum for next year with games against Pascagoula and D’Iberville left on the schedule.
D’Iberville
The Warriors lost just about every starter from a year ago, making year one a challenge for Josh Ladner. D’Iberville is 1-4 following a loss to Gulfport and is officially out of the postseason for just the second time since 2004.
