By Curtis Rockwell, Sports Editor
The Picayune Item
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. —
Without question, South Panola has been the most dominant prep football team in Mississippi over the past decade.
However, no other high school in the state has produced more payers with National Championship rings on the collegiate level over that same span than Picayune.
With Alabama's 42-14 win over Notre Dame here Monday night in the BCS National Championship game, former Picayune players now have won four title rings in the past seven seasons.
Former Maroon Tide standout Malcolm Faciane is a reserve tight end for the Crimson Tide, and got into Monday night's game for a few plays in the final period.
Faciane played in seven games this season for the Crimson Tide, including seeing time in wins over both teams from his home state in Ole Miss and Mississippi State as well as playing in a big win over arch-rival Auburn.
He was injured his senior year at Picayune, and red-shirted last season which was his first with the Crimson Tide program.
Faciane is still the only Picayune player ever selected to the prestigious Dandy Dozen squad as picked ever year by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
He follows the Cole brothers, Mit and Drew, as former Picayune High standouts that have gone on to win BCS championship rings on the next level.
Mit was a tight end at LSU, when the Tigers beat Ohio State 38-24 in the 2008 National Championship game at the Lousiana Superdome.
Drew was a cornerback for Auburn when the Tigers beat Oregon two years ago in the National Championship game in the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona.
That trio, Faciane and the Cole brothers, are the only three Picayune players to sign football scholarships with Southeastern Conference schools over the past 20 years.
And all three have gone on the represent the Maroon Tide program in the best way possible on the collegiate level.
