Picayune celebrated Homecoming by capturing its 12th consecutive Division 8-4A game and making quick work of Bay High in the process Friday night.

The Maroon Tide jumped out to a 35-0 halftime lead and rolled up a 48-0 lead at one point en route to an easy 54-21 win over the visiting Tigers.

Fifth-ranked Picayune moved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in league play with the win, while Bay High fell to 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the loop.

“It was another step, another win,” Picayune head coach Dodd Lee said. “We got off to a fast start and then we were able to get a lot of kids in the game in the second half and it’s always fun when you can do that and win.”

The Maroon Tide wasted no time in jumping ahead, scoring just 32 seconds into the contest.

“A good start is always important, because it helps with your confidence and it also puts pressure on the other team,” Picayune senior quarterback Caleb Hickman, who had a big hand in the Maroon Tide’s fast start, said. “It provides you with momentum and it also prevents the other team from gaining any momentum also.”

Hickman hooked up with Chris Nixon on Picayune’s first play from scrimmage on a 53-yard completion to the Bay two. Albert Richard scored the first of his three touchdowns on the night on the very next play.

Richard’s best was yet to come, though, as he extended Picayune’s lead mid-way through the opening period when he sprinted 24 yards for his second touchdown of the game. Matt Dragon hit the second of his six straight extra points, and Picayune led 14-0.

It was early in the second stanza, though, when the Tide turned for good as the Maroon Tide defense led by Jake Martinez, Nick Porter, Huey Stockstill and Justin Flowers among others, stopped Bay High quarterback Destin Johnson right at the goal line on a fourth down sneak.

On the next play, Richard broke almost untouched through the Tiger defensive line and raced 99 yards for another Maroon Tide touchdown.

“That’s one of the most exciting plays I’ve ever seen,” Hickman added. “You knew he had a chance when he broke it.”

From that point, the thumping was on as the Tide finished the first half with two more scores as Drew Cole scored on a 17-yard run and Kell Goff added a one-yard scoring plunge to make it 35-0 at halftime.

Hickman hooked up with Gabe Hinojosa on a 14-yard scoring strike early in the third period, and then as Lee started emptying his bench Justin Kozerski set up a 1-yard score by Wayne McMooain with a 36-yard run later in the period to make the count 48-0.

Terrance McCann ended Picayune’s scoring with a 28-yard run in the final quarter.

Johnson helped Bay High avoid a shutout as he ran for one score and threw for another as the Tigers kept their starters in and scored three touchdowns late in the game against the Maroon Tide reserves.

Richard finished with 161 yards rushing and the three scores in less than one half of action.

Picayune travels to Long Beach Friday.