Ocean Springs scores 21 fourth quarter points in 30-7 win over Gulfport to earn third straight district title
New era, same result for the Greyhounds.
Ocean Springs traveled to Gulfport to face their former coach and pounded the Admirals in the fourth quarter to steal a 30-7 win and capture the program’s third consecutive region championship.
Junior running back Will Smith found the end zone three times on the ground to lead the Greyhound offense during a game that was within one score for over three quarters.
Ocean Springs forced two turnovers and two turnovers on downs in the final quarter, leading to three short fields and 21 points for the offense over the last 12 minutes.
“Defense played lights out, except for one play,” Greyhound first-year coach Jake Bramlett said. “Offensively, we were struggling with some execution out wide, but went into halftime and fixed some things, challenged those guys to execute at a high level, came out and did it in the second half. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Smith scored on touchdown runs of 27, 4 and 3 yards. His two scores in the fourth quarter put the game out of the Admirals’ reach.
The outing moved his touchdown total to 16 on the year, doubling his scoring output from a season ago when his campaign was cut short by injury.
“It’s night and day, from not having him in the second half last year to this year being able to have a bell cow in the backfield that at any point can finish off a game,” Bramlett said.
It was Ocean Springs’ eighth win in a row and moved the Greyhounds to 14-1 in road games since the beginning of 2021.
The Greyhounds haven’t lost a region game since 2020 have accomplished a program-first by winning a third title in a row.
“We put in the work at practice and we don’t take anybody for granted,” senior linebacker Eric Moore Jr said.
Defense gets active
Gulfport’s Gavin Brown caught a short pass and turned it into a 49-yard touchdown in the first quarter for the game’s first points, but were unable to find any traction the rest of the way.
The Admirals turned the ball over four times and were forced into three different turnovers on downs throughout the night.
Two interceptions — one a single-handed grab by defensive lineman Talan Carter and the other by Moore— led to two fourth quarter touchdowns for the Greyhounds to create separation after leaving the third with a slim 9-7 advantage.
“We challenged our corners to have the best game they’ve ever had and they did that,” Bramlett said. “We kept everything in front and eliminated the big play.”
The always-aggressive Greyhound defense was routinely in the backfield disrupting Admiral quarterback Nico Williams and his offense.
The unit, which is led at coordinator by former Pass Christian head coach Chase Carmody, is now allowing just 13.5 points per game in the region schedule.
“Those guys are a year older, a little bit more experienced and know that we’re challenging them for something greater than a region championship,” Bramlett said. “We want to be there in the end and those guys know how they have to play in order to get that level of execution.”
Championship No. 3 carries added meaning
Ocean Springs’ third region title held a different significance than its first two. The Greyhounds had replaced now-Gulfport coach Blake Pennock with offensive coordinator Bramlett after Pennock won 32 games in three seasons at OSHS.
It was also replacing a two-time Mr. Football winner in Bray Hubbard at quarterback. Uncertainty lingered over the offseason around whether the Greyhounds could remain atop the Coast’s highest-class region, but the team soundly rebuffed those doubts and fittingly defended their throne against their former coach.
“I wouldn’t say it was personal, but it was personal,” Moore said.
“It was personal, really just being the underdogs,” Smith added. “That’s what made it feel even better.”
The continue of the defense’s strong play and the presence of new starting quarterback Will “Dabo” Berglind has allowed the Greyhounds to continue their dominant run atop their region.
“Just establishing ourselves as a football team in 2023 was the biggest part of it,” Bramlett said. “There were a lot of people who looked down on us at the beginning of the season and didn’t know what it was going to be like without Bray. (Quarterback Will Berglind) stepped in those shoes and he’s filled them greatly. Our entire offense has done a good job with that.”
Friday’s win guaranteed OSHS the one-seed in the 7A playoffs beginning in two weeks. It also sent a message to the rest of the state on where the program’s true ambitions lie.
Since losing in heartbreaking fashion at Madison Central on opening week, the team has won every game since by an average of nearly 24 points per game. That includes a 31-21 win over reigning back-to-back state champs Picayune.
“We’re coming,” Smith promised. “Don’t count us out.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2023 at 11:50 PM.
