Two dominant backs in Jermany Hayden and Cooper Crosby are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Northwest Rankin Cougars will take on the Gulfport Admirals at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Northwest Rankin is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Mississippi's top teams: Petal, who was ranked 12th at the time (Northwest Rankin was ranked 23rd). The Cougars managed a 34-28 victory over the Panthers on Thursday.
Gavin Phillipson
| 11/06/25 @ Petal | 293 |
| 08/29/25 vs Germantown | 285 |
| 10/31/25 vs Oak Grove | 272 |
| 09/19/25 vs Madison Central | 268 |
| 09/26/25 @ Brookhaven | 249 |
Northwest Rankin's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Marco Stapleton, who rushed for 53 yards and one touchdown.incredibly, Stapleton got all that yardage with just one huge run Gavin Phillipson was another key player, having thrown for 293 yards.
Meanwhile, Gulfport had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 26.5 points) and they went ahead and made it seven on Thursday. They blew past the Red Rebels, posting a 45-13 victory. With the Admirals ahead 38-7 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Northwest Rankin better keep an eye on Parker Nettles. He was instrumental in Gulfport's win, throwing for 160 yards and a pair of TDs while completing 80% of his passes. The dominant performance also gave Nettles a new career-high in passer rating (160.4).
Gulfport didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Cannon Parker, Javious Hales, Cortell Crandle, and Cordarious Payton picked up one apiece. Gulfport got some further help from Deandre Williams: he picked up a sack and made seven total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Northwest Rankin's win bumped their record up to 6-4. As for Gulfport, their victory bumped their record up to 8-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Northwest Rankin has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 155.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Gulfport struggles in that department as they've been averaging 171.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Northwest Rankin came up short against Gulfport in their previous matchup back in August of 2019, falling 21-14. Can the Cougars avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
