Picayune holds off Gulfport 54-47
Gulfport—The Maroon Tide ran it; Gulfport for the most part threw it. The result was a shootout at Joseph Milner Stadium with Picayune holding off the Admirals 54-47 to move their record to 3-0.
The first four possessions of the game rendered points.
Gulfport scored on a Tyran Gable 5 yard run and Picayune answered with a 13 run by Kade Turnage. The Admirals went up 14-7 on a 4 yard touchdown pass from Cade Crosby to Deshun Shields, but the Maroon Tide knotted it at 14-14 on a 1 yard sneak by Jakail Myers after Chad Dudenhefer ran the ball 76 yards on first down to put Picayune in a first and goal situation.
Photos by Carey Meitzler/WRJW Sports
Maroon Tide talks during a time out at Gulfport.
Jalen Hall stopped the Admirals next possession with a leaping interception of a Crosby pass at the Picayune 30. Four plays later Cameron Thomas bolted 42 yards for a touchdown to give Picayune it’s first lead with 1:23 left in the first quarter and Austin Samples kicked his third extra point.
The Maroon Tide forced Gulfport to put the ball away on the first play of the second quarter and Picayune started at their own 25. Leonard Taylor scored on a 6 yard run, but the point after was blocked and Picayune led 27-14 with 9:35 left in the first half.
Gulfport scored on their possession after the Maroon Tide kickoff on a 25 yard pass from Crosby to Durron Myers with 8:13 left to make it 27-21.
Picayune went on a 12 play 80 yard drive using 5 mins and 12 seconds and scored on Myers second 1 yard quarterback sneak. Samples made the extra point to make it 34-21 with 3:01 left in the second quarter.
Crosby brought the Admirals back on a 10 play 71 yard drive with the touchdown coming on a 4 yard pass to Tommie Johnson with :31 left in the half.
On the snap of the third a quarter, Thomas scored on a 49 yard run and the Sample’s extra point made it 41-28 with 11:50 on the clock.
Cameron Thomas (8) makes a cut on a third quarter run at Gulfport
Gulfport returned the kickoff to the Picayune 47 and Taylor picked off Crosby on the Admirals first play of the second half at the Picayune 15 yard line.
Picayune couldn’t move the ball and punted it back to the Admirals to their 47 yard line. Gulfport scored 7 plays later on a 3 yard run by William Jones with 7:35 left in the third quarter to make it 41-35.
The Maroon Tide answered with a 9 play 65 yard drive with the touchdown coming on a 6 yard run by Samples. Picayune went for the two point conversion, but did not get it leaving the score at 47-35 with 3:49 left in the third quarter.
Crosby brought the Admirals down the field in 9 plays covering 65 yards and threw a 37 yard touchdown to Shields on a fourth down play to make it 47-41. The point after was no good with 1:03 left in the third quarter.
After holding Picayune and forcing a punt, Gulfport took 4 plays to score with William Jones getting the touchdown on a 3 yard run with 10:31 left in the game. The extra point was blocked.
Tied at 47-47, facing third down and five at their own 38, the Maroon Tide gave the ball to Thomas and he raced 62 yards for the touchdown with 8:52 left in the game. Samples point after made it 54-47.
Gulfport had two more possessions.
The first one ended with a punt. The second one, after Picayune had to punt the ball back to the Admirals, started at their own 24. Picayune;s front four was able to bring pressure and after four incomplete passes, the Maroon Tide was able to take over and run the clock out with two kneel downs.
Picayune ran for 610 yards with Thomas tallying 365 yards on 27 carries.
Crosby completed 23 of 39 passes for 331 yards for the Admirals (2-2).
Picayune will be on the road again as they travel to Poplarville.
Picayune will be on the road again as they travel to Poplarville.
