Picayune stays unbeaten with 49-38 win over Hattiesburg

Audio replay of Picayune/Hattiesburg (Click Here)

Picayune—Austin Samples sat out last week’s Picayune-Gautier game due to quarantine restrictions, thus the senior was anxious to get back in his Maroon Tide uniform against Hattiesburg. He made for lost time with four rushing touchdowns and an interception return for another score in Picayune’s 49-38 win.

Samples got his first touchdown on the first possession of the game on a 1 yard plunge that was the seventh play of a 60 yard drive. Freshman Morgan Craft converted the first of seven extra points on the night for a 7-0 lead with 8:21 left in the first quarter.

Photos by Randy Brown/WRJW Sports

Austin Samples (2) looks for a seam to run in against Hattiesburg

Samples got his second touchdown with a 67 yard interception return with 3:14 to play in the second quarter and Craft’s point after made it 14-0.

Hattiesburg scored on its first play after the Maroon Tide kickoff on Chanse Duckworth’s 65 yard run.

After a Picayune fumble on its next possession, Duckworth scored again on a 7 yard run six plays later with 7:15 left in the second quarter for the Tigers and with Joshua Jones extra point, the game was tied at 14-14.

Picayune got their next touchdown due to a Hattiesburg miscue on special teams. Picayune got the ball at the Tiger 19 after the punter mishandled the snap and was tackled at the 19. Isaac Hickman scored from 1 yard out on the sixth play of the possession and Craft made it 21-14 with :47 left in the half with his point after.

Austin Samples (2) on his 73 yard touchdown

On the first play after the kickoff, Hattiesburg fumbled the ball and senior defensive end Andrew Willis picked up the loose ball at the Tiger 20 and ran it to the 9. Two plays later, Samples scored from 1 yard away and another Craft extra point made it 28-14 with :18 left.

The Tigers scored on the first possession of the second half on a 78 yard pass from Jordan Willis to Jemel Ford, but the missed the extra point.

Samples scored again on a 1 yard run with 2:10 left in the quarter. The drive was 11 plays covering 64 yards and used six minutes and thirty seconds off the clock for a 35-20 lead with Craft’s point after.

Willis brought the Tigers back quickly with a 30 yard touchdown pass to Joshua Jones with :05 left in the quarter. The two-point attempt failed making the score 35-26.

Dorian Robinson (5) takes on a Tiger defender

On the first play after the kickoff, Samples took the pitch on the sweep from Hickman, got a great block from sophomore fullback Darnell Smith and Hickman that sprang into the secondary. Samples broke two Tiger tackle attempts on his way to a 73 yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Craft’s extra point made it 42-26.

Hattiesburg scored on another pass from Willis to Jones, this time from 20 yards with 9:27 left. Another two-point attempt failed.

Picayune scored on its next possession on junior Dawson Underwood’s 7 yard run with 3:11 left.

Willis scored on a 1 yard run with 1:09 to close out the scoring.

Samples rushed for 174 yards on 20 carries and Hickman completed 3 of 5 passes for 52 yards to lead Picayune.

Picayune (6-0, 3-0) will play host to Long Beach on Friday at Lee-Triplett Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm.