Picayune erases three-touchdown deficit in thrilling win over Gulfport
Picayune didn’t flinch when it was put in a hole Friday night.
The reigning back-to-back state champs erased a three-touchdown deficit to knock off the Gulfport Admirals (2-2) on the road, 28-21.
Maroon Tide (3-1) defensive back Niquis Ratcliff jumped a Nico Williams pass late in the fourth quarter and took the interception 41 yards to the house for the go-ahead score.
The touchdown made it 28 unanswered points and was followed by a goal line stand in the final moments to seal the Maroon Tide’s win.
“We’ve been in that situation before, being down at halftime,” Picayune coach Cody Stogner said afterwards. “We’ve been there this year, we’ve been there in the past. They got to believe that we have a chance to win the football game as long as we get things cleaned up and play Picayune football. That’s exactly what we did.”
Gulfport jumped out to a 21-0 lead with touchdown passes from Williams to Gavin Brown and Cam Joseph and a 60-yard run by Dakoreyon Payton.
Both of Williams’ passing touchdowns were to open targets on busted coverages from the Maroon Tide’s secondary.
“It ain’t nothing we haven’t seen before,” Picayune defensive lineman Jamonta Waller said. “We’ve been down before. The senior leadership just told everybody to keep their head up and keep working.”
Waller, the top-ranked class of 2024 recruit in the state, had two crucial sacks in the second half and played a key role in keeping the Admirals off the board over the last 24 minutes of the game.
After a pair of touchdown runs by Darrell Smith tied the game, Ratcliff went back in time to the Maroon Tide’s 35-21 win over Gulfport in 2021 on the go-ahead play.
“It’s like déjà vu, same thing happened two years ago,” Ratcliff said of his pick six at Milner Stadium two seasons ago. “I feel like this is my field.”
Prepared for the moment
Picayune has played arguably the toughest schedule to date of anybody in the state. The Maroon Tide have faced three 7A schools and one of the best prep football programs in the country in Catholic (La.).
“I hope the whole state, not even the state, the whole nation sees we can compete with anybody,” Waller said. “We don’t care who it is, we’re ready to work and we’re going to battle all the way to the end.”
The Maroon Tide’s 27-game win streak was snapped against Catholic, but Picayune is still winners in 32 of its last 34 games.
The gauntlet continues next week with a home date against Ocean Springs.
“I think it does prepare us for when we get to the big games down the line, especially in district,” Stogner said of the schedule. “They’re not going to get any easier than it was tonight.”
Picayune will have a bye week for the first time in the Stogner era the week after next. The well-deserved break will precede the Maroon Tide’s new-look district schedule in Region 4-6A.
“We don’t take anybody lightly, we come to work every day ready to work,” Waller said. “We know everybody wants to beat Picayune.”
