Gulfport tops WLOX rankings; Pascagoula, Gautier face playoff stakes

High school football fans in the region will watch Pascagoula and Gautier closely this Friday because the winner of that matchup will lock in a 6A playoff berth while the loser drops out of contention. The WLOX network released its Week 11 rankings on Sunday, placing Gulfport at the top of the list.

Gulfport moved into the number one position after defeating D'Iberville 28-24. That result knocked the D'Iberville team down to second place. Poplarville and Pass Christian hold the third and fourth spots. Both teams are undefeated and entered the 4A playoffs after winning their district championships.

Picayune ranks fifth following its sixth consecutive region title. St. Martin remains at number six after completing a bye week. Hancock sits seventh, one spot above Pearl River Central, despite Hancock winning its recent game against the Hawks. Voters placed the Blue Devils ahead of the Hawks even though Hancock secured a top two seed.

Greene County enters the playoffs at number nine with a 7-3 regular season record. East Central holds the number 10 spot and has a chance to secure a top two seed in the 5A playoffs. Ocean Springs, Stone, Gautier, and Biloxi also received votes in the poll.

The WLOX network selected Pascagoula at Gautier as the Game of the Week. The contest is known as the Singing River Classic. Pascagoula holds a 14-10 all-time lead against Gautier. However, the Gators have won four of the last six meetings between the rivals.

If Pascagoula wins, the Panthers clinch a playoff spot and eliminate the Gators. If Gautier wins, Pascagoula is eliminated from the playoffs. In that scenario, the Gators would need either Hancock to defeat Long Beach or Picayune to beat Pearl River Central to secure a playoff position.

The network will air a full preview of the game on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. The broadcast will precede the Friday Night Football Showdown, which airs on Thursday night this week.