Last week, I used this space to go over some of the highlights at Southern Miss’ practices that have caught my attention. While the Golden Eagles have had another full week of practice since I wrote that, the high school football season gets kicked off Thursday night and it’d be unfortunate if I didn’t share my thoughts entering the 2018 campaign.
If you listen to The PineBeltSPORTS Podcast, most of this information won’t be new to you. I encourage everybody to subscribe to the Podcast and listen every week. With it being football season, the show will only be better.
Also, we’ll do a Facebook Live every Friday at 11 a.m. to discuss and break down that week’s high school football matchups. If you miss the live show, and the opportunity to ask questions during it, you can catch the video on PineBeltSPORTS.com afterward so you’ll be ready for Friday night’s games.
Let’s dive into this.
The Oak Grove Warriors have the talent to be a real contender in the 6A playoffs this season, but that was the case a season ago and they missed out on the postseason. I really want to say they’ll see all this success this season, but I’m holding back on that statement until region play starts.
Oak Grove began the 2017 season red hot and I was telling a lot of people how impressed I was with it. Once John Rhys Plumlee went down with a thumb injury, then played the rest of the season in a cast on his non-throwing hand, the season went downhill.
It wasn’t the loss of Plumlee, however, that derailed the season. The defense allowed a ton of points and the Warriors’ offense couldn’t keep up. I believe they’ll score a ton points once again this season, but the defense will have to show signs of improvement to be a real contender.
Oak Grove’s rival, the Petal Panthers, have a lot of questions to answer, but I’ll never question coach Marcus Boyles’ ability to put a quality team on the field. When I look at Petal’s roster, I see a lot of new players who’ll have to step up this season, but oddly enough, I have faith the new players will surprise a lot of people throughout the state.
The Panthers haven’t had to go into full rebuilding mode very often in last decade. They’re pretty good about replacing talent and making the playoffs. For how tough this region is, making the playoffs 10 years in a row is very impressive.
The Hattiesburg Tigers have high expectations this season, and rightfully so. I honestly don’t have much to say about them, other than I believe they’re one of the best teams in the state.
Sure, Laurel and Picayune will be the biggest hurdles this season, but I think as long as the Tigers don’t get in their own way and focus on each week’s opponent, the sky is the limit.
The Purvis Tornadoes, Sacred Heart Crusaders and PCS Bobcats are all kind of lumped into the same category for me. I really don’t know a lot about those teams. I wish I could say more, but Purvis and Sacred Heart will have to replace a lot of production, while the Bobcats had some important pieces transfer out of the program.
The Sumrall Bobcats have been pointing to this season for a long time now, but it hit a little bump in the road when news came down that quarterback Billy Garrity will miss the season due to a hip injury. It’s a tough break for Sumrall, but coach Shannon White has faith in Dannis Jackson’s ability to run the offense. Sumrall will miss him at receiver, though.
“He can sling it, now,” White told me a couple of weeks ago.
I’ve been beating the Lumberton Panthers’ drum all summer and I won’t stop now that the season is here. I firmly believe this season can be special for Lumberton and I’m excited to get a first look at it Friday night against North Forrest.
The Panthers have a ton of players back at some important positions, and I don’t see how a lot of 1A teams can stop that offense. Defensively, they’ll be stout, too.
Follow Camal on Twitter via @PineBeltSPORTS or email him: camal@PineBeltSPORTS.com
