Picayune drowns Bearcats 47-26

Long Beach--Picayune trailed early, but once the defense locked in on the talented Long Beach offense, the Maroon Tide pulled away for a 47-26 win to stay tied atop the Region 4-5A standings.

Long Beach made it look easy on the opening possession of the game scoring in 6 plays with Dennis Andrews racing in from 9 yards out with 9:49 left in the first quarter.

Picayune answered the Bearcats. On the third play of the drive, Picayune's David Baker (6-0, 230, Sr.) made his first appearance of the season after going down in spring training with a knee injury that required surgery. Baker rumbled for 33 yards to put the Maroon Tide at the Long Beach 11. Four plays later, senior quarterback Tyler Penton scored on a 8 yard bootleg run on 4th down and 6 yards to go. The point after was wide left and Long Beach lead 7-6.

The Maroon Tide defense forced a three and out and gave the ball back to the offense at the Picayune 35. Shaun Anderson ran the ball three times to put it at the Bearcat 32 and Baker took over running for 21 yards and then for 11 yards for a touchdown. Sami Nagi's point after made it 13-7 with 2:47 left in the first quarter.

Long Beach regained the lead, their last of the game, when Andrews busted loose on the first play after the Picayune kickoff for a 64 yard touchdown to put the Bearcats up 14-13.

Anderson countered with a 60 yard touchdown run on the second play after the Long Beach kickoff to put the Maroon Tide up 19-14 with 1:35 left in the first quarter. A two point conversion attempt failed.

Long Beach gambled on their next possession going for it on fourth down at their own 22 and the Maroon Tide stuffed Andrews for a two yard loss.

Four plays later Anderson scooted around left end for a 7 yard touchdown run and Nagi's extra point made it 26-14 with 9:38 left in the second quarter.