High school basketball season hasn’t tipped off yet, but Picayune and West Harrison got an early start on the gridiron in Gulfport on Friday night.
Darrell Smith galloped for 253 yards on just 14 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns and caught a 41-yard TD in leading Picayune to a 69-50 barn burner over West Harrison.
The Maroon Tide (6-2 overall, 2-0 in 4-6A) rolled up more than 600 yards of offense, but also gave up more than 500 yards to the Hurricanes (4-3, 0-2 in 4-6A) mainly because of a banged-up corps of players on the defensive side that forced several to go both ways—including Smith at linebacker.
“Injuries or not, we have to block and tackle better,” said Picayune coach Cody Stogner, who was complimentary of West Harrison.
Picayune played several freshmen and sophomores in the game because of the injuries and Stogner is hopeful that experience will build depth down the line.
“We did see some bright spots out of some of our younger guys,” said Stogner, who is hopeful to get some of those injured players back soon. “Lots to improve on, but the future is bright.”
The first half was an offensive explosion with defense just an afterthought.
The two teams combined for 35 points in just the first quarter.
Smith broke free for a 71-yard touchdown run up the middle of the field to put Picayune on the board first with 8:04 left in the opening quarter. Edgar Cruz added the extra point.
West Harrison answered with Trey Harris, who rushed for 227 yards on 21 carries, scoring from a yard out to cap a 73-yard, eight-play drive with 5:33 left in the quarter. Kaylon Costict added the extra point.
Smith broke free again over the left side on the ensuing drive and raced 59 yards for a touchdown. Cruz added the extra point to put the Tide on top 14-7 with 4:32 to play in the quarter.
Jordan Stapleton, who ran for 242 yards on 22 carries, busted free for a 71-yard TD run on the Hurricanes’ first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive to tie the game at 14-14 with 4:19 remaining in the stanza.
Picayune quarterback Bam Parker rolled left on a naked bootleg and scored on a 24-yard run that capped a 51-yard drive. The point after put Picayune back on top 21-14 with under two minutes left in the quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Stapleton broke free around the left side for a 67-yard TD run and Costict’s third point after tied the game at 21-21.
Parker then tossed a 15-yard pass to tight end Alan Magee, who turned on the jets for a 60-yard touchdown. The extra point put Picayune up 28-21.
The Hurricanes muffed the ensuing kickoff and the Tide recovered at the West Harrison 37 to take advantage of the turnover.
On fourth-and-15, Parker found Smith behind the West Harrison defenders for a 41-yard TD with 6:08 remaining in the quarter to give the Tide a 35-21 lead.
The Hurricanes scored from 2 yards out on a Stapleton run, aided by three Picayune penalties, that capped a 50-yard drive and pulled West Harrison within 35-28.
West Harrison then recovered an onside kick at the Tide 47 with 3:24 to play in the first half.
The Hurricanes drove down to the 11 but fumbled on the final play of the half.
Picayune adjusted at halftime, deciding to use several players both ways and shut out West Harrison in the third quarter.
West Harrison was held on downs on the first possession of the second half at its 46. Three plays later, Picayune’s Jordan Hathorne went right up the middle on the quickie for a 27-yard TD run. The extra point failed, but the Tide led 41-28.
Halfway through the third quarter, West Harrison pinned the Tide on a punt inside the Picayune 10, but Smith took a pitch and raced down the sideline for a 96-yard TD run. The point after made it 48-28.
Xavier Dennis intercepted a backward pass to thwart the next West Harrison drive with 2:27 to play in the third. Dennis then scored from 12 yards out to cap a 62-yard drive that was highlighted by Tristan Cooper’s 52-yard run. The extra point made it a 55-28 game.
Jamari Hathorne broke loose down the sideline for a 63-yard touchdown run and Cruz hit another PAT to make it 62-28 with 9:10 to play in the game.
But the Hurricanes kept storming back. Stapleton scored his third touchdown of the game on a 44-yard run to make it 62-35 with 6:44 left in the game.
Harris added a 40-yard TD run—his third touchdown of the night—with just over two minutes to play. But the scoring wasn’t done.
Jamari Hathorne ripped off his second TD of the night on a 64-yard run to make it 69-42.
West Harrison’s John Godber tacked on the final TD with a 60-yard run, and a two-point conversion made it 69-50.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Hurricanes as they entertain region co-leader George County on Friday while Picayune hosts 2-6 Long Beach.
“Picayune is really a good ballclub but so are we,” West Harrison coach Quincy Patrick said. “We just have to put it together for four quarters.”
