BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – As Friday approaches, three Coast high school football teams sit just one win away from competing on the state’s biggest stage. Here’s what to expect ahead of South State Championships:
Gulfport QB Parker Nettles scans the field in a 38-35 win against the D’Iberville Warriors on Halloween night. He’d finish with 189 yards and 3 touchdowns on 14-for-24 passing.(WLOX)
Ever since Gulfport’s Week 4 loss to Petal, the Admirals have been an unstoppable force facing very movable objects, posting a point differential of +264 since the defeat. They’ve won 9 straight, claiming their first district championship since 2019 and even avenging their loss over the Panthers in their most recent game. This also marks the Admirals’ deepest postseason run in 26 years, their last South State title appearance coming in 1999 against Provine.
Much of Gulfport’s success can be attributed to senior runningback Cooper Crosby, who has posted a whopping 38 total touchdowns this season while also earning 1,443 rushing yards on 222 carries. Senior quarterback Parker Nettles has also proven himself to be more than capable, tossing for 2,294 passing yards and 21 touchdowns on a 64% completion rate.
ALSO READ: WLOX Player of the Week: Gulfport RB Cooper Crosby
This week, the Admirals host the #3-seeded Brandon Bulldogs (7-5), who are one week removed from an upset victory over Region 3 champion Oak Grove Warriors. The Bulldogs caught fire at the right time, winning their final two games of the regular season over Pearl and Meridian before a first-round victory over Ocean Springs, who topped the WLOX Top 10 Coast Rankings for most of the year.
Brandon took the South State Championship last year, but lost to Tupelo in the State Championship.
The winner of this contest will advance to face either Tupelo or Oxford.
Picayune runningback Xavier Dennis scampers for one of 5 touchdowns in Round 2 against Hancock. He’d post 333 yards on 16 carries.(WLOX)
Death, taxes, and Picayune playing football after Thanksgiving.
The Maroon Tide are on yet another run, clinching their 5th straight South State title game. Despite a shocking loss to Pearl River Central to finish out the regular season, the Maroon Tide rebounded in the playoffs, earning wins over familiar foes in George County and Hancock.
From Dante Dowdell to Darrell Smith, the Tide have been blessed with dominant runningbacks over the last few years. 2025 has proven to be no different, with “Mr. Chill” Xavier Dennis, who holds the second-most rushing yards in the state of Mississippi at 2,600. The junior runningback earned WLOX Player of the Week honors twice over the season and averages 216.7 yards per game. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have an offensive line led by Vandy commit and 6A Mr. Football Mitchell Smith.
ALSO READ: WLOX Player of the Week: Picayune RB Xavier Dennis
However, the Tide are now faced with their toughest task this season by far — defeating the Hattiesburg Tigers in a rematch of last year’s 6A South State Championship. Since losing to rival Oak Grove in Week 3, the Tigers have one 9 straight, blowing through district with ease before blowing out Pearl River Central and beating out Pascagoula in their first two playoff games.
The Tide’s defensive backs will be tasked with finding a way to slow down senior Tennessee commit Tristan Keys, a 5-star wideout ranked by 247 Sports as the best high school receiver in the nation. While he’s missed some time in 2025 due to injury, his presence was felt in the 4 games that he’s touched the field as he scored a touchdown in each contest while earning 346 yards on 17 catches.
Opposite of Keys, Picayune secondaries will also have to watch senior Davion Young, who has shone in Keys’ absence. Young eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark during a 2-touchdown performance against Pascagoula last week. He’s also earned 525 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground.
The winner of this game will go on to face either Warren Central or Ridgeland.
Poplarville runningback Ty Keys prepares for a direct snap during the Hornets’ Round 3 contest against the McComb Tigers, a game that saw him rack up 436 yards and 7 touchdowns on 22 carries.(WLOX)
Despite having to settle for the #3 seed after dropping 2 region games in the regular season, the Poplarville Hornets once again find themselves in the South State Championship. The defending 4A state champs have scored 40+ across all three of their postseason contests, toppling the likes of Forrest County Agricultural, Forest, and McComb.
Pop Vegas is led by junior runningback Ty Keys, who sits 31 yards shy of a 3,000-yard season on the ground. Leading the state in both rushing yards and total touchdowns (44), the 4A Mr. Football winner is averaging nearly 250 yards a game, posting one of the most impressive single seasons in the history of Mississippi high school football.
ALSO READ: WLOX Player of the Week: Poplarville RB Ty Keys
When Keys isn’t on the field, sophomores Remy Naquin and Trac Smith have done their part, combining for 1,004 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns during the 2025 season. On the other side of the ball, 4-star defensive lineman Sam LeJeune and company look to contain a runningback duo that has run rampant all season when they meet on Friday.
The Hornets clash with the undefeated district champion Columbia Wildcats (13-0). The two met before in the regular season, and it wasn’t close — the Wildcats handed the Hornets a staggering 28-49 loss. With the help of runningbacks Tra Lewis and Ashton Daniels, Columbia has scored 40+ points in 8 of its contests this season, with the defense posting 3 shutouts and holding teams to single digits 5 times. Their last loss came on November 15, 2024, in Round 2 of the playoffs… against Poplarville.
The winner of this one will meet Louisville or Kosciusko in the state championship.
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All games are slated to kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday. For score updates, visit wlox.com/sports/scoreboard.
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