For the second straight year, Hattiesburg and Picayune met with a trip to the state championship on the line. And for the second straight year, it was the Tigers who delivered when it mattered most.
Hattiesburg broke open a tight, physical battle in the fourth quarter Friday night for a 47-27 win over Picayune in the Class 6A South State Championship to punch its second consecutive ticket to the state championship game next week at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville.
The victory sets up another chance at history for a Hattiesburg program still seeking its first state championship. It also extended a dominant postseason run for the Tigers, who have won every postseason game at home by double digits.
The rematch of last year’s dramatic 39-35 South State thriller delivered much of the same early — long, grinding drives by Picayune, explosive counterpunches by Hattiesburg and momentum swings.
Like they had done in all of the playoff games up to this point, Hattiesburg seized control immediately. After forcing a quick Picayune three-and-out on the opening possession, the Tigers marched the ball 65 yards in seven plays.
Toney Scott capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to give Hattiesburg an early 7-0 lead.
As expected, Picayune responded with its signature style — grinding, physical football that chewed clock. The Maroon Tide answered with an exhausting 18-play, 87-yard drive that featured 16 running plays. Xavier Dennis finished the possession with a 2-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 7-6 after the extra-point try was no good.
Hattiesburg drove the ball right back to the red zone but turned it over on downs. Momentum shifted right back when Picayune quarterback Colt Robertson threw an interception inside his own 20-yard line.
The Tigers made them pay. Scott rushed in for his second touchdown of the night from 10 yards out to make it 14-6 in favor of Hattiesburg.
Dennis needed only one snap to answer. The Picayune junior exploded through the middle of the defense for a 55-yard touchdown run to pull the Maroon Tide within 14-13. Dennis finished with 25 carries for 232 yards and three touchdowns, pushing his season total beyond 2,800 rushing yards.
But the Maroon Tide just couldn’t stop the Hattiesburg offense. On its next drive, the Tigers covered 52 yards on eight plays, and Josh Marshall powered it in from 2 yards out to make it 20-13 at halftime.
“Our kids stayed the course,” Hattiesburg coach Kendall Lacey said. “The biggest thing for us all season has been accountability — making adjustments and moving on to the next play. I thought we did a good job of that tonight.”
Hattiesburg grabbed full control on the opening drive of the second half, leaning heavily on Davion Young. Four plays into the possession, Young sliced through the left side of the defense and sprinted 70 yards for a touchdown, extending the Tigers’ lead to 27-13 — their largest of the night to that point.
Picayune countered quickly once again. Dennis scored his third touchdown of the game on a 12-yard run just three plays into the ensuing drive to trim the lead to 27-20. The Maroon Tide forced Hattiesburg into a three-and-out on the next series and appeared poised to swing momentum back in its favor.
Instead, the game unraveled from there.
Picayune stalled on its next possession and punted the ball back to Hattiesburg, setting the stage for the Tigers’ decisive sequence. Hattiesburg, backed up at its own 10-yard line, responded with an eight-play, 90-yard drive that drained the clock and broke Picayune’s resistance. Haedyn Leverette finished the march with a 22-yard touchdown run to push the lead back to 34-20 late in the third quarter.
From that point on, the Tigers seized full control.
Picayune went three-and-out on its next series, and Hattiesburg delivered the back-breaking blow early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Gavin Ducksworth rolled to his right and found Marshall streaking across the middle for a 13-yard touchdown pass, extending the Tigers’ lead to 41-20.
Ducksworth finished 12 of 18 passing for 134 yards with one touchdown and one interception, efficiently directing a balanced Hattiesburg offense that piled up chunk plays when needed most.
“It means everything,” Ducksworth said. “Coming into the season, this was our goal, and we’re one step closer. We just got one more to go.”
Picayune added one final score to close within 41-27, but any hopes of a late rally were erased when Young delivered the final dagger. Young burst through the middle of the defense for a 37-yard touchdown run, pushing the margin back to 20 points and sealing the 47-27 victory.
Young finished with 167 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, providing the spark Hattiesburg needed at critical points throughout the night.
Friday marked another milestone in a remarkable first season under Lacey, who took over the program following the retirement of Tony Vance.
“I’m proud of how these kids continue to respond,” Lacey said. “They believe in what we’re doing, and they compete hard every week.”
Hattiesburg now turns its full attention to Starkville and a chance to capture the first state championship in school history next Friday.
The Tigers arrived at this point one year ago. This time, they believe they are better prepared — battle-tested by another region championship, another South State title and a season full of close calls and steady growth.
One final step remains.
Hattiesburg (12-2) will face Warren Central (11-2) for the 6A state championship game next week in Starkville.
