Head Coach: Ryan Earnest
2025 Record: 6-7
Region Record: 4-1, second in Region 3-5A
Classification: MHSAA Class 5A
2026 Season Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Heidelberg
If Laurel’s 2025 season proved anything, it is that a bad start does not have to become a bad season. The Golden Tornadoes opened the year 0-6. They lost to West Jones, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, West Harrison and Oak Grove before dropping their region opener to Brookhaven. By mid-October, Laurel had not won a football game and had been outscored 177-70.
Then everything changed. Laurel won four consecutive region games to finish second in Region 3-5A. The Golden Tornadoes beat Purvis 39-3 in the first round of the playoffs, went on the road and knocked off region champion Stone 24-21, and suddenly found themselves playing in the Class 5A semifinals.
Brookhaven finally ended the run with a 31-6 victory.
Laurel finished 6-7, making the final record one of the strangest in Mississippi high school football. The Golden Tornadoes lost their first six games and still finished among the final four teams standing in Class 5A.
Now comes a very different challenge. The senior-heavy group responsible for that turnaround has graduated. Wide receiver Zechariah Jenkins is at Memphis. Several other veterans who experienced both Laurel’s 2023 state championship appearance and the difficult 2024 season are gone.
But Laurel does not enter 2026 without experience.
Running back Zyquez Moffett, quarterback Brysen Bivins, receiver Martaviaus Collier, athlete Tavion Wolverton, linebacker Jaden Washington and defensive lineman Raphael Lindsey are among the familiar names remaining on the roster.
For Ryan Earnest, the goal should be obvious. Do not wait until October this time.
Zyquez Moffett Steps Into the Spotlight
One of Laurel’s most important returning offensive players is senior running back and linebacker Zyquez Moffett. Moffett has been around the varsity program for several seasons and now enters his final year with an opportunity to become one of Laurel’s primary offensive weapons.
He appeared on the 2024 roster as a sophomore and remained part of the varsity rotation throughout last season. He is listed at approximately 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds on Laurel’s current roster. That makes him one of the more experienced skill players left from last season’s semifinal team.
Laurel’s identity shifted toward defense and field position as 2025 progressed. A dependable running game allowed the Golden Tornadoes to shorten games, protect the football and avoid asking the offense to win shootouts. That formula could remain useful.
With Jenkins and several veteran receivers gone, Moffett should receive more opportunities. He can contribute between the tackles, catch the football out of the backfield and stay on the field defensively if needed. A productive senior season from Moffett would make the transition much easier for Laurel’s younger offensive pieces.
Martaviaus Collier and Tavion Wolverton Lead a New Receiving Group
Replacing Zechariah Jenkins will not be the responsibility of one player. It probably cannot be. Jenkins finished his Laurel career with 128 receptions for 2,012 yards and 21 touchdowns and signed with Memphis as a consensus three-star prospect. He chose the Tigers from an offer list that included Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Southern Miss and several other FBS programs.
The next group begins with seniors Martaviaus Collier and Tavion Wolverton. Collier is listed at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds and can contribute at receiver and defensive back. Wolverton is another two-way athlete who can work at receiver or in the secondary.
The next group begins with seniors Martaviaus Collier and Tavion Wolverton. Collier is listed at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds and can contribute at receiver and defensive back. Wolverton is another two-way athlete who can work at receiver or in the secondary. Senior Jayden Hasberry, Ethan Hamilton and Corday Washington add more experience on the perimeter, while 6-foot-5 junior tight end Brian Barnes gives Bivins a large target over the middle.
The Defense Will Again Have to Carry Weight
Laurel’s turnaround last season began with defense. The Golden Tornadoes allowed 257 points over 13 games, but that number is misleading because so much damage came during the first half of the schedule. During Laurel’s four-game region winning streak, opponents scored only 25 points. That is the version of Laurel the 2026 defense will try to recreate.
Senior linebacker Jaden Washington gives the middle of the defense an experienced player at around 190 pounds. Senior defensive lineman Raphael Lindsey provides size up front at approximately 6-foot and 210 pounds.
Junior Dalevion Windham and junior linebacker Jason McLaurin give Laurel younger pieces with varsity experience, while senior defensive backs Donjuan White, Kaveon Davis, Jermelle Cobbins, Tony Williamson and Joshua Porter make the secondary one of the roster’s most experienced areas.
That experience in the back end could be valuable early. Laurel’s non-region schedule includes Hattiesburg, Gulfport and Oak Grove, three teams capable of stressing a secondary with speed. If the Golden Tornadoes can limit explosive plays, they will give themselves a chance to stay close until the offense develops.
Ryan Earnest Has Proven Laurel Can Make a Run
Earnest enters his seventh season leading his alma mater. His tenure has rarely been boring. Laurel won the district championship in his first season in 2020. The Golden Tornadoes reached the Class 5A semifinals in 2021. They played for the state championship in 2023. Then came the 2-9 season in 2024. Last year, Laurel started 0-6 and still reached another state semifinal. Through the end of 2025, Earnest’s teams had gone 39-37 overall, 24-11 in district play and 8-5 in the postseason.
That playoff record says something about the program. Laurel does not always look like a championship contender in September. But if the Golden Tornadoes reach November, they have repeatedly shown they can become dangerous. The challenge in 2026 is becoming dangerous earlier.
Golden Tornadoes Playing Division I Football
Laurel has two recent graduates on Division I rosters entering the 2026 college season.
Zechariah Jenkins – Memphis
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds. His high school résumé included more than 2,000 receiving yards, 21 touchdowns and selection to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game. His departure leaves Laurel without the player who had become the face of its receiving corps, but it also gives the current Golden Tornadoes another recent example of a player going directly from Watkins Stadium to FBS football.
Tyler Miller – Mississippi State
Former Laurel offensive lineman Tyler Miller is now at Mississippi State. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound redshirt freshman spent the 2025 season at LSU before transferring to Starkville. Mississippi State lists Laurel High School as his high school and describes him as a former consensus four-star prospect.
Miller was part of Laurel’s 2023 Class 5A South State championship team that reached the state title game. Having Miller in the SEC and Jenkins at Memphis continues a long tradition of Laurel producing high-level football talent.
And that does not even include former Golden Tornado Charles Cross, who has moved beyond college football and become one of Laurel’s most recognizable professional athletes.
Five Games to Watch
Aug. 28 – West Jones
Laurel lost 20-9 at West Jones last season. The Jones County matchup provides an immediate opportunity to see whether this year’s team can avoid the slow start that defined 2025.
Sept. 4 – at Hattiesburg
Laurel-Hattiesburg remains one of the Pine Belt’s traditional rivalry games. Hattiesburg beat Laurel 31-18 last year, and playing at D.I. Patrick Stadium will provide an early test for Bivins and the new-look offense.
Sept. 25 – Oak Grove
Oak Grove overwhelmed Laurel 42-3 in 2025. The Warriors come to Watkins Stadium this time, giving Laurel an opportunity to measure how much ground it has made up against one of Mississippi’s premier Class 7A programs.
Oct. 30 – Sumrall*
Laurel escaped Sumrall with a 14-10 victory last season. That win played a major role in Laurel earning second place in the region, and the rematch should again matter heavily in the playoff race.
Nov. 5 – at South Jones*
The regular-season finale produced a defensive battle last season. Laurel won 7-3 at Watkins Stadium. This time the Golden Tornadoes travel to Ellisville, and the game could again decide playoff seeding in Region 3-5A.
2026 Laurel Schedule
Aug. 21 – Heidelberg
Aug. 28 – West Jones
Sept. 4 – at Hattiesburg
Sept. 11 – at Gulfport
Sept. 18 – West Harrison
Sept. 25 – Oak Grove
Oct. 2 – Open
Oct. 9 – at Brookhaven*
Oct. 16 – at Natchez*
Oct. 23 – North Pike*
Oct. 30 – Sumrall*
Nov. 5 – at South Jones*
*Region 3-5A game.
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