Head Coach: Jacob Aycock
2025 Record: 8-4
Region Record: 5-0, Region 4-5A Champions
Classification: MHSAA Class 5A
2026 Season Opener: Aug. 21 at Forrest County AHS
Stone does not always receive the same attention as some of the bigger programs in South Mississippi. That may be changing.
The Tomcats went 8-4 last season, ran the table in Region 4-5A and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before falling to Laurel 24-21. It was Stone’s best season under head coach Jacob Aycock and continued a steady climb from three wins in 2023 to six wins in 2024 and eight in 2025. The most encouraging part for Stone entering 2026 is that some of the players responsible for that breakthrough are still around.
Senior quarterback Zander Howard is back after two years of meaningful varsity experience. Junior running back Ayden Green returns after rushing for 1,374 yards and 14 touchdowns. Amarion Fairley also returns after adding more than 500 rushing yards and seven scores as a sophomore. Seniors Cayden Luster, Ryan Theriot, Matthew Hendry and Troy Bennett give the roster experience around them.
Stone did lose a productive senior group, especially along the defensive front and at linebacker, but this is not a rebuilding roster. The Tomcats have a proven quarterback, one of the better returning running backs in Class 5A and a region schedule they controlled last year.
The question is no longer whether Stone can make the playoffs. It is whether the Tomcats can turn last year’s region championship into a deeper November run.
Ayden Green Is the Player Everything Revolves Around
The biggest reason to believe Stone can remain near the top of Region 4-5A is Ayden Green. Green rushed for 1,374 yards on 181 carries, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt, and scored 14 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore. He finished with 15 total touchdowns and averaged 114.5 rushing yards per game.
His best stretch came when the games mattered most. Green rushed for 135 yards against Wayne County, 89 against Purvis, 103 against Vancleave and 88 against East Central. Then he exploded for 170 yards on only 14 carries in the playoff victory over Sumrall. That production changes how opponents have to defend Stone.
Green is not simply a back who can grind out three or four yards. He averaged better than seven yards per carry and repeatedly produced chunk plays during Stone’s winning streak.
At around 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, he wins with acceleration, vision and the ability to slip through narrow running lanes before defenders can square him up. He enters 2026 as one of the most productive returning backs in South Mississippi.
And he is still only a junior. If Green takes another step, Stone could have one of the best rushing attacks in Class 5A.
Amarion Fairley Gives Stone a Second Dangerous Runner
One of the reasons defenses cannot focus entirely on Green is Amarion Fairley. Fairley rushed for 506 yards and seven touchdowns last season while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He also scored a receiving touchdown, giving Stone another young athlete capable of producing explosive plays.
His breakout moment came against East Central, when Fairley rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Green added 88 yards, Howard ran for 59 and Stone finished with 297 rushing yards in the 35-21 victory. That performance is probably the best blueprint for the 2026 offense.
Stone does not need to put everything on one player. Green can receive the majority of the carries, Fairley can provide a change of pace and senior JT Theriot adds another back with varsity experience. The Tomcats can keep fresh legs on the field and continue wearing down defenses in the second half.
Zander Howard Gives Stone Something Most Teams Want: Experience
Running back may be Stone’s deepest position, but the most important player could still be quarterback Zander Howard. Howard enters his senior season with 22 varsity appearances and nearly 2,000 career passing yards. He completed 57 of 102 passes for 793 yards and five touchdowns last season while adding 319 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Stone’s offense works because Howard can manage the game, make throws when defenses commit too many defenders to the run and contribute with his legs. His mobility became more noticeable during the second half of last season. Howard rushed for 59 yards on only three carries against East Central.
Replacing a Strong Senior Defensive Group
The biggest concern is defense. Stone lost several important seniors from a unit that held opponents under 15 points per game.
Defensive lineman Tariq Noel finished his senior season with 50 tackles, two sacks and six quarterback hurries. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Noel provided size in the middle that Stone will have to replace.
Linebacker CJ Griffin also graduated after becoming one of the leaders of the defense. Several other seniors, including Favian Dawkins, Jayden Collins, Avyon Stringfield and Jacoby Jones, are gone from a group that had played together for multiple seasons.
That makes senior defensive lineman Cayden Luster one of the most important returning players. Luster is listed around 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds and should become an anchor along the front. Senior linebackers Ryan Theriot and Connor Chamberlain will also be counted on to provide experience behind him.
The good news is that Stone does not have to completely reinvent itself. Many of the younger defenders saw varsity snaps last year, and Aycock has steadily built greater roster depth during his tenure. Stone carried 59 players in 2025 and enters 2026 with a published roster of more than 60.
Howard has already played in a region championship race and two rounds of the playoffs. For a Stone team with legitimate postseason expectations, that experience matters.
Jacob Aycock’s Program Is Trending Up
The numbers tell the story of what Aycock has built in Wiggins. Stone went 3-7 in 2023. The Tomcats improved to 6-6 in 2024 and finished second in the region. Last season, Stone went 8-4, finished 5-0 in region play and won a playoff game.
The next step is getting beyond the second round. Stone came painfully close against Laurel last November. The Tomcats rushed for 204 yards in the game and trailed by only three points when the season ended.
Aycock now has a senior quarterback, an elite returning running back and a roster that has experienced what playoff football feels like. There are fewer unknowns than there were a year ago.
A Stone Alum in the Big 12
Stone will also have a former Tomcat playing Power Four football in 2026.
Willie Breland III – Iowa State
Former Stone defensive back Willie Breland III is a junior linebacker at Iowa State.
Breland took the junior-college route through MGCCC, where he became a first-team All-MACCC selection and All-NJCAA Region 23 player in 2025. He recorded 35 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery before joining the Cyclones.
He was rated as a three-star junior-college prospect and the No. 14 JUCO cornerback nationally by 247Sports. Breland was also an accomplished player at Stone, earning Sun Herald All-South Mississippi first-team recognition after recording 57 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups as a senior.
His path from Wiggins to Gulf Coast and eventually the Big 12 gives Stone’s current players a tangible example of how the junior-college route can lead to major college football.
Five Games to Watch
Aug. 21 – at Forrest County AHS
Stone opens in Brooklyn against a Forrest County AHS team looking to take another step under Bo Russum. Stone shut out the Aggies 17-0 last season, but opening-night road games are rarely simple.
Sept. 4 – at Poplarville
Poplarville escaped with a 22-21 victory last season. This is one of the best early opportunities for Stone to prove it has improved outside region play.
Sept. 25 – George County
George County shut out Stone 13-0 last year. The home rematch will be an important measuring stick before the Tomcats enter region play.
Oct. 9 – at Wayne County
Stone beat Wayne County 30-21 last season, but the War Eagles remain one of the most dangerous teams in the region. Winning in Waynesboro would immediately place Stone in control of the Region 4-5A race.
Oct. 16 – at Purvis
Stone completely controlled last year’s meeting, shutting out Purvis 26-0. The Tornadoes will have the rematch circled, and this could become one of the biggest games in the region standings.
2026 Stone Schedule
Aug. 21 – at Forrest County AHS
Aug. 28 – Hancock
Sept. 4 – at Poplarville
Sept. 11 – at St. Martin
Sept. 18 – Open
Sept. 25 – George County
Oct. 2 – St. Stanislaus
Oct. 9 – at Wayne County*
Oct. 16 – at Purvis*
Oct. 23 – Vancleave*
Oct. 30 – Northeast Jones*
*Region 4-5A game.
Magnolia Coast Sports Outlook
Stone deserves more respect entering 2026 than a typical eight-win team. The Tomcats did not simply make the playoffs last season. They went undefeated in region play, won a playoff game by four touchdowns and came within three points of reaching the third round.
Green gives Stone a legitimate difference-maker at running back, Fairley provides another explosive option and Howard brings valuable senior experience at quarterback. The main concern is replacing a defense that lost several important seniors.
The non-region schedule is also challenging, with road games at Poplarville and St. Martin plus George County coming to Wiggins. Still, Stone has shown steady improvement every year under Aycock, and the returning offensive production makes another region championship realistic.
Magnolia Coast Sports Prediction: 8-2 regular season, Region 4-5A champions and a return to at least the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
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