High school football practice during Thanksgiving Week has become a normal occurrence in Picayune.
Before stuffing themselves Thursday with turkey and dressing, the Maroon Tide (11-2) will be spending this week preparing for a powerful Hattiesburg team with a trip to the Class 6A state championship game on the line Friday night at Lee-Triplett Stadium.
Coach Cody Stogner has been an assistant coach or head coach at his alma mater for all nine of Picayune’s South State championship games in the last 14 seasons.
After practice on Monday, Stogner said his team was locked in but also relaxed.
Is that a good thing?
“From past experience, I believe so,” said Stogner. “This group is a little different than the last. They are always relaxed.”
Asked if that drives him a little crazy, Stogner said, “You have no idea.”
“It finally took me to where we are now,” he said. “Week 14 to just go with it.”
Stogner, who has guided the Maroon Tide to four straight South State championship games, said each of those teams has its own identity.
“This group is laid-back Monday through Thursday, but when the lights come on, they turn that switch on,” said Stogner. “Drives me crazy, but that’s just their personality.”
Stogner said the common factor with this year’s Picayune team and past Maroon Tide squads is tenacity.
“There is no give up in them,” said Stogner.
That’s been evident several times this season when the Maroon Tide had to rally from behind during their current nine-game win streak.
To overcome deficits, Picayune has had to rely on several key players to play on both sides of the ball, including Bam Parker, Darrell Smith, BJ Ducre, Triston Cooper and Allen Magee, just to name a few.
Stogner recalls only a couple of times during his tenure Picayune having this many players going both ways.
“As an assistant coach, we have and in 2020 we played a bunch both ways,” said Stogner. “But the last three years we have been fortunate to not have as many.”
Does he think depth and stamina could play a factor on Friday with so many players going both ways?
“We thought it was going to be (an issue) the whole year, but here we are,” said Stogner. “These guys are out to prove people wrong. They fight their butts off every Friday night for 48 minutes.”
Hattiesburg is expected to be a handful for Picayune.
The Tigers enter the game with an unblemished 12-0 record and have what many consider to be the most talented roster in the state.
Hattiesburg is led by senior quarterback Deuce Vance, Mississippi’s Mr. Football in Class 6A.
Picayune will counter with a potent run game led by the state’s leading rusher, Darrell Smith. The senior tailback has run for more than 2,200 yards this season. He’s been complemented by Triston Cooper, who has emerged to become another force in the backfield.
The last time the Tigers and Tide tangled was in 2021 with Picayune coming out on top 35-13 in a first-round playoff game.
So how can Picayune come out on top Friday night?
“Execute every snap,” said Stogner. “Stay ahead of the chains on offense, bend but don’t break on defense and be great on special teams.”
He added that the Maroon Tide must capitalize on mistakes and limit their own.
“I’ve learned that in this point in the season, both teams are good so it really comes down to who wants it more and who can control better what they can control,” said Stogner.
Picayune is looking to play in its fourth state championship game in the last six years and first state title game since 2022 when the Maroon Tide captured consecutive state football crowns.
Hattiesburg hasn’t won a state title in 100 years.
