The old Big 8(MSHAA)

[parabrave]

Does anyone remember the old Big 8 in Mississippi HS Sports. I remember, Biloxi, Gulfport, Moss Point, Pascagoula. Hattiesburg, Laurel, Meridian, North Natchez in the South. A couple of jackson schools, Greenville, Tupelo and a few others in the north. What schools did I miss? I'm not sure about Laurel and I think Callaway and Murrah were in it.

[terradawg]

O My Gosh...I remember playing in the Big 8. I played in the Little Brown Jug Game between Hattiesburg and Laurel on a cold November Friday in 1977, just like tonight!!!

[terradawg]

I did a little research..."the Coastal Big 8 was Gulfport, Gulfport East, Biloxi, Moss Point, Pascagoula and Meridian. The Central was Hattiesburg, Laurel, South Natchez, North Natchez and McComb. The Capital were the Jackson Schools, Murrah, Jim Hill, Wingfield, Callaway and Provine and the North was Yazoo City, Greenwood, Greenville and Clarksdale." I remember my sophomore year when Hattiesburg played Clarksdale. I didn't make the travel squad, but HHS chartered a bus to travel to Clarksdale.

[Commercecomet24]

I played baseball at Meridian 80-83 I remember the big 8 very well. Those were the days!

ETA that was also the days meridian was good at baseball and football lol

[Dawgtini]

And Philly had Dupree and were
Killing us all. Caledonia (we) had no chance.

[Liverpooldawg]

Does anyone remember the old Big 8 in Mississippi HS Sports. I remember, Biloxi, Gulfport, Moss Point, Pascagoula. Hattiesburg, Laurel, Meridian, North Natchez in the South. A couple of jackson schools, Greenville, Tupelo and a few others in the north. What schools did I miss? I'm not sure about Laurel and I think Callaway and Murrah were in it.

Columbus was in it.

[parabrave]

Gulfport and Gulfport East merged in 77-78 and won the Big State title that year beating Greenville. Half that team ended up on the MSU Roster in 79. Bill Bell, the Miketenas brothers, Roman Grace and a few others who didn't start. Fred Collins who is still very active along with Bill Bell in Bulldog alumni activities graduated the year before.

[Coursesuper]

Columbus was in it.

Both Columbus Lee and Caldwell were in the little 10 south with Starkville, Louisville, West Point, Tupelo, Grenada and Oxford in the 70's and 1980. In the fall of 81 the conferences began to come too an end that was the first year of district play. I forgot to add Aberdeen and maybe Kosciusko to that list in the little 10 south I know we played Kosy every year. I don't remember all of the north schools but I do remember Amory, Shannon, Corinth, Houston and Boonville were some of them.

[fieldcorporal]

During the first year of Columbus Caldwell -1971 - Lee white high school, and Hunt black high school were combined then split into integrated Lee and caldwe!l. Caldwell was formerly A Jr high.

A single football was fielded (players from both former lee and hunt) won the big 8 that year - big surprise...

I think that was the one and only combined team, and last year in big 8.

[Coursesuper]

During the first year of Columbus Caldwell -1971 - Lee white high school, and Hunt black high school were combined then split into integrated Lee and caldwe!l. Caldwell was formerly A Jr high.

A single football was fielded (players from both former lee and hunt) won the big 8 that year - big surprise...

I think that was the one and only combined team, and last year in big 8.

It's amazing how quickly things changed after desegregation, within about a decade from that event the old system of conferences and bowl games was over and actually having a true state championship in each class came to be.

[parabrave]

It's amazing how quickly things changed after desegregation, within about a decade from that event the old system of conferences and bowl games was over and actually having a true state championship in each class came to be.

The big eight actually had a playoff system. There was a south and north semifinal and then a state championship that rotated between North and south. All other conferences had bowl games, which were great to be in because you would play schools you never played before.

[BeastMan]

I did a little research..."the Coastal Big 8 was Gulfport, Gulfport East, Biloxi, Moss Point, Pascagoula and Meridian. The Central was Hattiesburg, Laurel, South Natchez, North Natchez and McComb. The Capital were the Jackson Schools, Murrah, Jim Hill, Wingfield, Callaway and Provine and the North was Yazoo City, Greenwood, Greenville and Clarksdale." I remember my sophomore year when Hattiesburg played Clarksdale. I didn't make the travel squad, but HHS chartered a bus to travel to Clarksdale.

For context I’m in my mid 30s but I cannot imagine a Natchez that has 2 major high schools. Crazy

[Coursesuper]

The big eight actually had a playoff system. There was a south and north semifinal and then a state championship that rotated between North and south. All other conferences had bowl games, which were great to be in because you would play schools you never played before.

The Little 10 did also, the north played the south and both teams went on to a bowl game. But the playoffs have been much better for football in our state. I played in the first ever playoffs although it was much smaller then because only one team from each district made the playoffs. We played teams we would have never played due to the playoffs, we went to Greenwood hosted Olive Branch and played South Natchez in the Championship. It was a great experience.

[Todd4State]

It would be interesting to see what a Big 8 for high school would look like now.

I don’t think it could be done without some feelings being hurt.

6A is probably pretty close as it is- mostly Memphis/Jackson/Gulf Coast schools along with a few like Tupelo, Meridian, and Greenville along with the college town schools like Starkville/Oxford/Oak Grove.

[terradawg]

It would be interesting to see what a Big 8 for high school would look like now.

I don?t think it could be done without some feelings being hurt.

6A is probably pretty close as it is- mostly Memphis/Jackson/Gulf Coast schools along with a few like Tupelo, Meridian, and Greenville along with the college town schools like Starkville/Oxford/Oak Grove.


Of note, in the Hattiesburg metro area, 6A Oak Grove and 6A Petal are 16 miles apart and 5A Hattiesburg is halfway between OG and Petal.

[Liverpooldawg]

Both Columbus Lee and Caldwell were in the little 10 south with Starkville, Louisville, West Point, Tupelo, Grenada and Oxford in the 70's and 1980. In the fall of 81 the conferences began to come too an end that was the first year of district play. I forgot to add Aberdeen and maybe Kosciusko to that list in the little 10 south I know we played Kosy every year. I don't remember all of the north schools but I do remember Amory, Shannon, Corinth, Houston and Boonville were some of them.
Yes, but the old Columbus High before the split and before integration was in the Big 8. I had an uncle that played for them in the Big 8. His coach was Billy Brewer.

[DanDority]

North Big 8: Jackson Central, Vicksburg, Meridian, Greenville, Columbus, Greenwood
South Big 8: Brookhaven, McComb, Natchez, Laurel, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Moss Point

[Coursesuper]

Yes, that's been stated here. I'm just trying to go show a post segregation little ten approach, because there was some really good football played in that league. And there were a bunch of very good and NFL players that played there. The first guy I ever lined up against as a soph was Andre Townsend who went on to play for the Broncos and he was just one.

[AlSwearengen]

Of note, in the Hattiesburg metro area, 6A Oak Grove and 6A Petal are 16 miles apart and 5A Hattiesburg is halfway between OG and Petal.

And Sumrall will be growing over the next several years.

[Lance Harbor]

'89 North and South Natchez were combined to Natchez High and it was thought that a powerhouse would emerge (both were very good on their own). Instead they got one crappy school that has gone the way of Natchez with the population being cut in half since then along with the closure of Trinity in Natchez and Huntington across the river.


For context I’m in my mid 30s but I cannot imagine a Natchez that has 2 major high schools. Crazy

[Political Hack]

'89 North and South Natchez were combined to Natchez High and it was thought that a powerhouse would emerge (both were very good on their own). Instead they got one crappy school that has gone the way of Natchez with the population being cut in half since then along with the closure of Trinity in Natchez and Huntington across the river.

IP left town and nothing really ever took its place, leaving 700 or so families without their primary source of income. Town has never recovered. Purely a service industry town now that relies on tourism.

[parabrave]

'89 North and South Natchez were combined to Natchez High and it was thought that a powerhouse would emerge (both were very good on their own). Instead they got one crappy school that has gone the way of Natchez with the population being cut in half since then along with the closure of Trinity in Natchez and Huntington across the river.

in the late 70's it seemed that NN was playing for the title every year. Of course having Hugh Green helps out immensely.

[parabrave]

IP left town and nothing really ever took its place, leaving 700 or so families without their primary source of income. Town has never recovered. Purely a service industry town now that relies on tourism.

Same thing happened to Moss Point when IP left. That school has never been the same.

[REVOTS]

I played at Callaway 75, 76 and 77. We won the Big 8 in 75 and lost to Greenville in the north big 8 Championship after beating them soundly earlier in the year. Lots of kids played college ball off those teams and several made it to the NFL.

[msbulldog]

For context I?m in my mid 30s but I cannot imagine a Natchez that has 2 major high schools. Crazy

Youngster! That was when JWS came to Natchez and got Hugh Green for Pittsburg from North Natchez.

[RocketDawg]

For context I?m in my mid 30s but I cannot imagine a Natchez that has 2 major high schools. Crazy

I graduated from Meridian in 1965, and Natchez only had one (white) high school then. I never knew them to have two high schools, but then I lost touch when I started at State, then totally lost touch when I graduated from MSU and left the state.

At the time, Meridian was in the Big 8 South. I remember Biloxi and Gulfport both were, and I think Natchez and Vicksburg, along with Hattiesburg and maybe Laurel. Jackson only had three high schools then (Provine, Central, and Murrah) but I don't remember if the were in the north or south ... maybe have been both.

High school football was a big deal in Meridian at the time. They had, and I suppose still have, a pretty large stadium for a high school (held about 14,000) and was generally full for games.

[parabrave]

Youngster! That was when JWS came to Natchez and got Hugh Green for Pittsburg from North Natchez.

And he came down to pascagoula and got Ray Jones. The 2 best players in Miss that year.

[was21]

Carr Central High School in Vicksburg was in it long before

[was21]

Bob Tyler was legendary corch at Meridian High

[RocketDawg]

IP left town and nothing really ever took its place, leaving 700 or so families without their primary source of income. Town has never recovered. Purely a service industry town now that relies on tourism.

IP = International Paper?

[Travelingdawg]

That would be Rooster Jones ?

[Political Hack]

IP = International Paper?

Yeah.

[SailingDawg]

Gulfport and Gulfport East merged in 77-78 and won the Big State title that year beating Greenville. Half that team ended up on the MSU Roster in 79. Bill Bell, the Miketenas brothers, Roman Grace and a few others who didn't start. Fred Collins who is still very active along with Bill Bell in Bulldog alumni activities graduated the year before.

I'm teaching at Gulfport High now and didn't realize all those names were from here. I grew up in Columbus so I remember the Big 8 well! Gulfport is still strong in athletics.

[parabrave]

I'm teaching at Gulfport High now and didn't realize all those names were from here. I grew up in Columbus so I remember the Big 8 well! Gulfport is still strong in athletics.

In the lobby of the gym they keep all the BB trophies. I don't know where the keep the FB trophies from both the Commodores and the Vikings.

[tcdog70]

North Big 8: Jackson Central, Vicksburg, Meridian, Greenville, Columbus, Greenwood
South Big 8: Brookhaven, McComb, Natchez, Laurel, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Moss Point

I think Corinth was in the North.

[Martianlander]

North Big 8: Jackson Central, Vicksburg, Meridian, Greenville, Columbus, Greenwood
South Big 8: Brookhaven, McComb, Natchez, Laurel, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Moss Point

Going back to 1966 when I played the 10 team - yes 10 in the north ( and south) big 8 were Jackson Central, Murrah, Yazoo City, Greenville, Greenwood, Clarksdale, Meridian, Columbus, Corinth, and Tupelo. You played every team in the north, which was 9 games and one non-conference. I'm sure you are correct about Vicksburg but they must have come along later or maybe switched from the south to north. Picayune was in the south I know in basketball because we played them for the overall big 8 championship. Would assume they would have to be in football too, but again I'm going back to the mid 60's.

[Liverpooldawg]

I think Corinth was in the North.

It was at one time for sure.

[tcdog70]

in the late 70's it seemed that NN was playing for the title every year. Of course having Hugh Green helps out immensely.

I think they ran the Norte Dame box.

[Coursesuper]

I think they ran the Norte Dame box.

South Natchez did in 1981when we played the in the AA championship game.

[tcdog70]

I played at Noxubee in the Choctaw Conference.
Louisville, Ackerman, Eurpora, Kosy, Quitman, DeKalb, Philadelphia, Carthage,Union, Newton,and Noxubee.

[Coursesuper]

I played at Noxubee in the Choctaw Conference.
Louisville, Ackerman, Eurpora, Kosy, Quitman, DeKalb, Philadelphia, Carthage,Union, Newton,and Noxubee.

That was a hot minute ago, I’ve heard stories from old officials when I was much younger about that conference. Did you play with Willie Daniel?

[parabrave]

One thing about the conferences was that schools of all sizes played each other. I went to Notre Dame in Biloxi which was a very small catholic school and we played against big schools like D'Iberville and St Martin in the Pascagoula River Con and we were very competitive against them. Plus we didn't have to travel halfway across the state to play every weekend. That old system also filled alot of school trophy cases because of the Bowl games which were a huge thing to go to back then.