Gulfport takes sting out of disappointing start with rout of Pascagoula
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Gulfport forced four turnovers and beat Pascagoula 53-13 to improve to 2-2.
- Linebacker Deandre Williams recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles.
- Running back Cooper Crosby posted three touchdowns and topped 500 rushing yards.
It was Pork Chop who was eating good in Pascagoula.
Gulfport (2-2) linebacker Deandre Williams wreaked havoc and sowed terror into the Panther backfield during the Admirals’ 53-13 road stomping of Pascagoula (1-4) Friday.
The junior they call “Pork Chop” brought down Pascagoula’s 240-pound linebacker-turned-quarterback Jarrad Loper Jr three times and forced fumbles on two of them. Williams led a defense that created four turnovers and helped the Admirals shake a disappointing 1-2 start where both losses were decided on the final play and their lone win came despite six turnovers.
“Coming off a loss I feel like we had to win one, we had to,” Williams told the Sun Herald after the game. “Our school had our back, everybody had our back. The whole community and that pushes us forward. We wanted to go into region off of a win.”
Gulfport’s disruptive defense was backed up by an offense that got three touchdowns out of running back and Louisiana commit Cooper Crosby.
Pascagoula found the end zone once in each half and continued its personal battle against self-inflicted wounds with 12 penalties, a dropped punt that led to a safety on its first drive and a bad second-half snap that resulted in a lost fumble at the goal line.
The Admirals’ suffered many of the same afflictions through the first three games, but was turnover-free in their final test before region play.
“We had some battles the first couple of weeks and I was really excited about the way we played (tonight),” coach Blake Pennock said. “Pascagoula, I know the score is what it is, but that’s a really good football team that’s going to make a ton of noise in 6A. I was really excited about the way our guys came together.”
Gulfport had scored via safety, touchdown and field goal when Pork Chop beat both the right tackle and the running back for his first sack.
Williams met Loper again on the first third down of the next Panther possession, this time blowing by the left tackle and knocking the ball free in the process of taking down Loper again.
His final act of backfield terror was getting a free run at Loper in the third quarter and delivering a punishing blow that sent the ball to the turf again where it was recovered by Javon Anderson. That set up an eight-yard touchdown pass from Parker Nettles to Javious Hales to build the Admiral lead to 33-7 and put the game into rout mode.
“He plays with a ton of heart and really executes our scheme and plays with great physicality,” Pennock said. “We’re excited about having him in our program.”
Williams now has 10 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles through four games.
And to show a little versatility he also broke up a third down pass in the end zone during a Panther drive that ended in a turnover on downs on the next play.
“(Williams) is a dog,” Crosby said. “That’s really the only way I can put it. In the weight room, in practice he’s always giving 100%. It shows on the field.”
Crosby scored two rushing touchdowns from inside the five-yard line and caught a 30-yard scoring pass from Nettles on a backside wheel route late in the first half.
The senior has taken on the bell cow role for Pennock’s west coast offense this year. Crosby has responded by finding over 500 rushing yards scored his 10th touchdown of the season Friday.
“I thought he’s done great,” Pennock said about Crosby’s start to the year. “Guys are obviously centering around on him and we’re able to find some different ways to get him the ball. We’re also having other people step up with our offensive linemen creating holes... As the game gets later, he’s getting stronger. That’s a good sign.”
Friday was the Gulfport offense’s first 50-point game since beating D’Iberville 56-32 in 2023. It was also the most points the Admirals have scored in the 95-game series with Pascagoula.
Gulfport begins district play next week, but won’t be easing into it. Four-time reigning district champion Ocean Springs awaits its former coach and the rival it’s beaten five years in a row.
The Admirals have finished second in the region behind the Greyhounds the last three years and haven’t won a playoff game in that stretch despite the home-field advantage.
“Our region is getting tougher and tougher and so we’re going to have to be able to battle each and every week,” Pennock said.
This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 11:56 PM.
