By Dale McKee

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Picayune vs. Wayne County edited copy

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By Dale McKee

 

WAYNESBORO – The Picayune Maroon Tide have never had much success when visiting Waynesboro. But on this night, the Tide dominated the contest as they controlled the football running twice as many plays as the home team and rushing for 408 yards. Picayune running back Shaun Anderson rushed for 208 yards on 33 carries and scored once to lead his team to the 30-22 Region 4-5A season opener.

 

Picayune (4-1) scored once in the first and second periods on two touchdown runs by V.J. Holt but trailed 14-13 at intermission.  After a one and a half hour lightning delay, the Tide scored twice in the third period and took a 27-14 lead into the final period. The Tide rushed for 408 yards in the win.

 

Picayune scored first moving 66 yards in nine plays to score on a 15-yard run by Holt at the 6:01 mark of the opening period.

 

After forcing a War Eagle punt, the Tide took over on their own 20 yard line but fumbled on the second play, and WC defensive tackle Braxton Lee scooped up the ball and ran 30 yards for the score. Heath Mosley kicked the conversion, and Wayne led 7-6 at the 3:41 mark of the opening period.

 

Picayune recovered a fumble at the WC 31 with 9:37 to play in the half. It took the Tide five plays to move the distance to score on a six-yard run by Holt. Sami Nagi kicked the conversion, and Picayune led, 13-7, with 7:21 to score in the half.

 

Wayne came back to go ahead as they put together a 65-yard five-play scoring drive. War Eagles quarterback ZaBryon Jackson highlighted the drive with a 35-yard run that moved the ball from their 44 yard line to the Tide’s 21 yard line. The scoring play was a bit unusual as Jackson, in attempting to reach the football over the goal line, fumbled the ball forward and an alert wide receiver Demetrius Harris recovered the ball in the end zone for the War Eagles. Mosley’s conversion kick gave WC a 14-13 lead at the 6:07 mark.

 

Picayune controlled the ball on offense for 17:24 of the opening half while WC had ball possession for only 6:36. Shaun Anderson rushed for 75 yards on 18 carries while Holt had 31 yards on three attempts. Wayne County’s Jackson rushed for 81 yards on seven carries for WC. Picayune ran 36 plays to Wayne’s 20 in that opening half.

 

The Tide scored twice in the third period as Anderson sped 50 yards with 7:51 left in the third period. Picayune drove 66 yards in three plays with Anderson gaining 61 yards on three runs. The Tide received a gift at the 3:59 mark when Kade Turnage picked up a War Eagle fumble on a Picayune punt at the WC 20 yard line and ran untouched into the end zone. The Nagi conversion increased the lead to 27-14.

 

Wayne threatened after the score moving as deep as the Tide 20 yard line before fumbling once again. The Maroon Tide then moved 60 yards to score as Nagi drilled a 28-yard field goal with 8:31 to play to give the visitors a 30-14 lead.

 

Perionta Norsworthy scored on a seven-yard run with 5:41 to play in the game. Josh Page’s run  conversion  cut the Tide’s lead to 30-22.The Tide controlled the ball for the final 5:41 of the contest in securing the win.

 

Brian Taylor recovered two fumbles for the Tide. Picayune ran 67 plays to the War Eagles’ 46 plays on offense and held the ball for over 32 minutes. Picayune will host West Harrison while Wayne County will travel to Pearl River Central this Friday.