By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

Picayune head coach Dood Lee hoped his Maroon Tide would come up with a win last week in order to open Region 3-5A play with some momentum.

With that mission accomplished, thanks to a 27-0 win over Pascagoula, Picayune and Lee now hopes that momentum carries over this week as the Maroon Tide head to McComb to open league play.

The Tigers are in their first year under new head coach Malcom Jones, who took over for Randy Martin who was at the helm of MHS for five seasons..

Jones is a former standout football player at Alcorn State and was the head coach at Gentry High in Indianola before coming to McComb.

Jones is the first ever African-American head coach in Tiger football history. McComb is also coming off its first win of the season, a 39-21 whipping of North Pike two weeks ago. The Tigers had last week off to prepare for the Maroon Tide.

“They have a lot of speed,” Lee said of the Tigers. Lee and his staff got a chance to see McComb’s win when Picayune was off that week.

McComb quarterback LeMarvin Ashley was the Class 4AA South State champion last year in the 200 meter dash, while wingbacks Dexter Marshall and DeMarcus Jenkins are also standouts on the always powerful McComb High track team as well.

Pearl River Central transfer Pacer Frierson has taken over some of the placekicking duties for the Maroon Tide along with Dalton O’Meara. Both connected on extra points in the win over Pascagoula and Lee said both will compete each week for playing time.