Gulfport showed its offensive dominance in a blowout win over host Picayune on Friday night.
Cooper Crosby had touchdown runs of 52, 92 and 2 yards in leading the Admirals (3-1) to a 41-21 victory over the Maroon Tide (2-2).
Dakoreyon Payton added touchdown runs of 25 and 80 yards for Gulfport and quarterback Dane Sullivan tossed a 30-yard touchdown to Tre’Von Deans.
Crosby ran for 244 yards and Payton added 139 as Gulfport rolled up 411 yards rushing.
Sullivan completed 16-of-22 passes for 168 yards.
“Our offensive unit goes with how Cooper Crosby and Dakoreyon Payton play,” said Gulfport coach Blake Pennock. “With our new line, their performance made a difference.”
Picayune had its opportunities early in the game but missed a 35-yard field goal halfway through the first quarter on its opening drive.
Jeremiah Grant recovered a fumble at the Picayune 20 to stop Gulfport’s initial drive.
The Maroon Tide took over at their 25 but failed on a fourth-down attempt and turned the ball over at their 34.
The Admirals took advantage of the great field position and in two plays scored on Payton’s jet sweep from 25 yards out. Grayson Tegender added the PAT to put Gulfport on the board first late in the first quarter.
Picayune’s third drive ended with a turnover on downs at Gulfport’s 28.
Two plays into the second quarter, Crosby took a handoff and raced up the middle and down the sideline for a 52-yard touchdown run. The PAT made it 14-0.
Picayune’s offense put together an impressive drive on its next possession, moving into the red zone and eating up a good portion of the quarter.
Darrell Smith pushed it in from a couple yards out to get the Maroon Tide on the board. The drive covered 74 yards in about a dozen plays. Edgar Cruz hit the point after to make it 14-7 with 5:15 left in the first half.
But Gulfport quickly responded with Payton’s 80-yard touchdown run. The point after made it 21-7 with 4:37 remaining in the half.
A wide receiver screen for a big play set the Admirals up at the Picayune 34.
But the Tide’s Triston Cooper stepped in front of a slant pass for an interception and returned the ball to midfield with 20 seconds left in the half.
Gulfport took the initial second-half possession and scored as Sullivan threw his TD to Deans to extend the lead to 28-7 with 8:34 to play in the third quarter.
Picayune put together another nice drive, but for the fourth time turned the ball over on downs, this time at the Gulfport 2-yard line.
After the stop, Crosby then broke off his 92-yard touchdown run to push the Gulfport lead to 34-7 with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter. The PAT went off the upright.
Picayune kept fighting in the fourth quarter with Smith tossing a halfback touchdown pass to Allen Magee on the first play of the fourth quarter from 30 yards out. The PAT made it 34-14.
On Picayune’s next possession, Smith broke off an 82-yard TD run, but it was called back on a holding call and the Tide once again turned the ball over on downs.
Crosby tacked on a 2-yard TD run late in the game to push the Gulfport lead to 41-14, but Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown and the final score of the night.
Picayune ran for 290 yards.
“At times we showed some fight, but we got outcoached, outblocked and outtackled,” said Picayune coach Cody Stogner.
He said that a game like this can be a learning experience for his team.
“Monday, after this type of game, will determine how much you really love football,” Stogner said. “And I’m looking for the guys who really love it.”
Gulfport will host Brandon on Friday and Picayune will play at Ocean Springs.
*Contributor to this article: Hunter Dawkins*
