25 Teams in 25 Days: Pascagoula Panthers

Stop number eight on News 25’s 25 Teams in 25 Days is a world of two extremes.

- stop number 8, on news 25's 25- teams in 25 days... is a world- of- two extremes.

- the pascagoula football program- has seen both the - highest of high's... and the- lowest of low's... over the - last decade.- but the panthers have seen a lo- more high's than low's... and - that's- what they're starting to get- back to... in year 10, of the - lewis - sims era.

- - 25 teams in 25 days... brought- to you by gulf coast business - furniture and supply... your- source for covid-19 supplies an- all of your sanitation needs.

- - - - nat ---> "rolling four!

Read, - read, read!"- "when these guys started out as- freshmen, there weren't very- many of - them, but they were some of the- toughest kids i've ever seen.

- and they've endured a - couple of seasons that it was - hard to be a panther.

And - they've taken the coaching, - they've taken their lumps,- they've gotten in the weight- room, they've gotten- stronger and they just embody - our warface mentality."

- for a pascagoula football - program that played in the 5-a- state championship game, as - recently as - 2012... that same program went- just 1-10... as recently as - 20-18.- "coming off that, we're way - hungrier than last year.

First- - - - we were 1-10, then we went 6-6.- we're just getting way more - people that's coming in and - they're hard-working, - and so we're just working off o- that."- last year's five-win- improvement... earned the - panthers their first trip back- to the playoffs... since 20-16.- and despite their first round - exit, at the hands of laurel --- by way- - - - of a crushing three-point defea- -- the program's- panther pride... is very much - alive and well.

- "when we lost to laurel, that - really had a great - a big part- because we came - from a 1-10 season to a 6-6 - season and to making the- playoffs and i feel like we can- go farther this year."- "i don't think they're- satisfied.

I don't think these- guys are satisfied at all.

I- think - they understand that for the- last couple of years we wanted- to compete, and now it's not- that we want to compete - we're- expected to compete - now we- want to contend.

And going from- competing to contending, that's- a big shift in mindset and i- think these guys are embodying- that."- - - - or maybe... that mindset has- been there all along... - disguised as the- aforementioned warface- mentality... standing for - work... accountability... - respect... family...- attitude... character... and- enthusiasm.

- "it's not a chant.

It's not an- ah, i want to see your war face- kind of thing.

It's what do - you want to base your program - on."- "accountabilty.

Is everybody- accountable for their actions?- on the field, - - - - we don't come out here blaming- each other for whatever mistake- or anything - like that.

We're just trying to- get better, even if we are- competing, we're- making each other better.

Iron- sharpens iron."

The biggest - change for the panthers, in - - - - 20-20... might actually be, on- the schedule.

- as a result of covid-19... the- 82nd rendition of the battle of- the - cats, between pascagoula and- rival moss point... is now just- a jamboree... for the first - time... in a long time.

- "that was probably after the- lady beat the referee with a- shoe back in the 1930's and - - - - they cancelled it for about 10- years."

- trading that one game... for- even a taste of one of the- program's - three gold balls... is one this- year's class of 18 seniors... - would make in a heartbeat.- - - - but another 10 years... is just- too long to wait.

- "we think about that every day.- every day we think about that."- "if we don't show character in- the locker room, if we don't- show our accountability in- the locker room - in the field- house - if we don't clean up- after ourselves, it's not - - - - going to be a great season so - we're picking things up - - getting it fresher, man.- we're just going what we've got- to do to get that championship,- baby."- "there's a long-standing- tradition of just holding that- flame, carrying that flame- - - - forward and understanding that- it's your responsibility to - leave it better than- you found it."- - the battle of the cats will now- take place, on august 28th... a- pascagoula.

- the panthers were able to - re-schedule their game, at- ocean springs...