HURLEY —
Dodd Lee’s return to East Central High School was as successful as his tenure here.
Lee led his top-ranked and unbeaten Maroon Tide into Shirley Stadium Friday night, and Picayune came away with a 48-7 win over the homestanding Hornets.
The win was the 15th straight for the defending Class 5A state champions and clinched a playoff berth for Picayune, as the team moves to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Region 4-6A play. The Hornets fall to 1-8 overall and 0-5 in league play.
Picayune jumped out to a 21-0 lead six minutes into the game and cruised to the win.
“We got off to a good start,” Lee said. “We didn’t play with as much intensity as I would have liked, but we have done that for about seven straight games and I guess it’s hard to be as intense every week as I would like to be.”
On the first play of the game, Picayune’s Ben Hickman hit Kardarrius Cross on a 68-yard scoring strike.
Daveon Greene added a 64-yard scoring scamper on a wingback reverse, and Doug Cross scored on a 29-yard touchdown run as the Maroon Tide led 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
On Greene’s run, Hickman executed a perfect fake to freeze the Hornets defense.
East Central got on the scoreboard when Travis Kirkland hit Donovan White on a 10-yard touchdown toss early in the second stanza.
Picayune responded with three consecutive scoring drives, ending in a 28-yard scoring run from Desmond Taylor, a 67-yard touchdown sprint by Doug Cross and a 30-yard scoring pass from Hickman to Doug Cross.
On the 67-yard scoring run, Picayune’s Grey Stockstill executed a solid down field block to spring Cross free. A fumble recovery by Sam Hickman set up the score by Taylor.
Doug cross scored his fourth touchdown of the night on a 7-yard run mid-way through the third frame.
Four of the Maroon Tide’s six scoring drives in the first half were one play drives. The Maroon Tide ran 15 plays in the first half and scored 41 points.
“We can take some positives away from this,” Lee concluded. “We have to play a little better mentally and we just have to get ready for next week.”
Lee went 43-21 with five winning seasons and three playoff berths at East Central from 1990-95. He is 147-52 in 17 seasons at Picayune
The Hornets have had just four winning seasons since Lee left, one of which was a 6-5 mark last year.
Picayune hosts Long Beach in league play Friday.
Sports
Maroon Tide smacks East Central
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Saints ready to practice with Payton again
Even as Sean Payton tried to make the best of his one-season bounty banishment from the NFL by spending time with his children, getting in shape and playing golf, he often compared his punishment to prison time.
He missed his work that much, his players say, adding that his return has infused Saints headquarters with a fresh intensity leading up to Tuesday’s opening of voluntary offseason practices. -
Wildcats honored for efforts
Ten Pearl River Community College baseball standouts have earned 2013 post-season honors with center fielder Braxton Lee and catcher-designated hitter Krisjon Wilkerson leading the way with All-Region 23 and All-MACJC first- team accolades.
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Season ends for Maroon Tide
Picayune’s magical playoff run came up just short of a spot in the state finals.
Homestanding Pascagoula, the defending Class 5A state champs, took a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Maroon Tidee in game three of the best of three South State finals here Saturday before a capacity crowd at Ingalls Field. -
Season ends for Maroon Tide
The season came to an end for the Picayune baseball team Saturday afternoon with a 5-3 loss to homestanding Pascagoula here at Ingalls Field in the third and deciding game of the Class 5A South State championship series.
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Tide stays alive
And it all comes down to this.
Picayune and Pascagoula will face off in a one game, winner take all
showdown today at 2 p.m., at Ingalls Field for the Class A South State
prep baseball championship and the right to play for the state title. -
Wildcats tring to win Region 23 title
Host Pearl River opened Region 23 Tournament play in dominating fashion here Thursday in Wildcat Stadium, demolishing top-seeded East Central 12-1 in eight innings and now faces second-seeded LSU-Eunice (La.) in Friday’s second round at 7 p.m.
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Panther pitcher shuts out Maroon Tide
Pascagoula’s Andrew Crane continued his dominance of Picayune Thursday night.
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Season ends for Lady Hornets
Poplarville's season came to and end in the Class 4A South state finals Tuesday night.
The visiting Lady Hornets fell to Newton County 10-2 in game two of the best-of-three series. -
Lady Hornets face Newton County
Two more wins, and Poplarville will be playing for the Class 4A state championship in fast-pitch softball.
The Lady Hornets have a chance at getting that first victory today. -
Polderman’s, Mitchell win titles
The Picayune Maroon Tide and the Pearl River Central Blue Devils both competed in the Class 5A South State track and field championships this past Saturday at Long Beach High School.
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