By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

It was billed as a battle of the titans, but only one bothered to show up.

Picayune ran roughshod over previously unbeaten St. Stanislaus on Friday, winning the key Region 8-4A contest 56-28.

With the win, third ranked Picayune moves to 6-1 overall and more importantly 3-0 in league play while the Rockachaws dropped to 6-1 and 2-1 in the loop.

The Maroon Tide jumped on the visiting Rocks quickly, as Wayne McMooain returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

Picayune propelled that fast start into a 42-7 lead late in the second quarter.

“Anytime you can get a play like that to start the game, it really helps set the tone,” Picayune head coach Dodd Lee said. “We played the way we try and play every week. We want to make the other team adapt to what we do well.”

Sophomore running back Jamal Hall was the most prolific Picayune weapon Friday night, as he ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns, both career highs.

“I give my line credit for blocking so well,” Hall, who has rushed for almost 700 yards this season, said. “I try and not let just one man take me down when I’m running, that’s my goal. That and do everything I can to help the team win.”

“He does a good job of continuing to run after the hit,” Lee added. “He’s doing a good job but he’s still young and he can get better.”

Hall had three of his scoring runs in the first half. His 7-yard jaunt, which was set up by a 61 yard Reggie Bailey run, made it 21-0 six minutes into the game.

Sandwhiched in between that run and McMooain’s kickoff return was a 30 yard scoring strike for Jacob Kennedy to Gabe Hinojosa.

Hall then added scoring runs of 13 and 59 yards in the second quarter, to make it 35-7.

The Tide ended the first half with a 94 yard touchdown toss and run from Kennedy to Chris Nixon, and the game was virtually over.

SSC’s Dylan Favre was pressured by Picayune all night, as the Tide recorded five sacks and even more hurries. He did throw for four touchdowns and over 400 yards, most of which came after the game was already decided.

Hall added a 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Bailey ended the scoring with a 27 yard scoring scamper. Nick Riso was a perfect 8-for-8 in extra point tries and the Tide amassed 515 total yards in the win, and travels to Bay High Friday.