By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

Picayune finally settled the score with long time nemesis Wayne County last week.

This week, the Maroon Tide gets another shot at a little revenge.

Picayune’s 27-21 over the War Eagles not only was the first ever victory over WCHS but also wrapped up the second spot in Region 3-5A and earned the Maroon Tide a home playoff game.

Meanwhile, D’Iberville beat arch-rival St. Martin 24-0 and earned the third seed in Region 4-5A, setting up Friday’s opening round Class 5A South State playoff match-up between the Warriors and Picayune at 7 p.m., Friday.

The last time the teams met, D’Iberville smacked Picayune 49-21. It is the largest margin of defeat in Dodd Lee’s 12 years at the helm of the Maroon Tide.

“They are a different team than last year, but so are we,” Lee said, of the match-up. “Revenge never really is talked about. We know we have to win or our season is over.”

The Maroon Tide finished the regular season at 7-3 overall, and 6-1 in league play. D’Iberville stands 5-6 overall.

Lee will unleash standout junior running back Jamal Hall on the Warriors. Hall has picked up over 1,700 yards rushing and scored 20 touchdowns so far this season. Scottie Merrill has over 300 yards.

Maroon Tide senior quarterback Jacob Kennedy is coming off one of his best performances of the season, as he threw for 190 yards and three scores in the win over WCHS. For the season, he has thrown for six scores and six interceptions, and has tossed for 839 yards completing 57 of 108 passes.

Speedy Jonathan Moore leads the Maroon Tide receiving corps, hauling in 19 passes for 235 yards with an average of almost 13 yards per catch. Eric Smith has 11 catches for 135 yards.

Chris Burton has scored three times, once on the ground and twice through the air, including catching the game winning pass last week. Kennedy has scored three touchdowns rushing as well.

Defensively, linebackers Troy Egana and Jarrod Jones and safety Wayne McMooain lead the Maroon Tide in tackles, as the trio all have over 90 total stops on the season.

Defensive lineman Joel Davis has five sacks, and Jones has four.

Derronte Magee has two interceptions.

“D’iberville is balanced on offense, they have had some success running the ball and throwing it,” Lee concluded. “And on defense they have some good players as well.”