Picayune avenged its 2019 state championship defeat to West Point.
The Maroon Tide’s run game was too much for the Green Wave as Picayune defeated West Point 40-21 to win the Class 5A State Championship on Saturday night at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
Picayune (14-1) struck first on the opening drive with running back Chris Davis scoring on 37-yard touchdown run.
West Point (11-1) responded with Cameron Young busting for a 55-yard run, which set up a 1-yard touchdown run for himself and tied the game at 7-7.
The Maroon Tide stayed head as they pulled together a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Dante Dowdell scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run.
The Green Wave scored again on a 10-yard run by Young to tie the game again at 14-14.
With four minutes left in the half, Picayune scored again, with Davis breaking away for a 73-yard touchdown. The PAT was blocked, which left the Maroon Tide holding a 20-14 lead at halftime. Davis ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries.
Both teams continued to trade blows in the third quarter.
Young reached the end zone for a third time on a 5-yard run to give West Point its only lead of the game at 21-20. Young finished the game with 92 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
However, Picayune answered with another big touchdown, except this came from Darnell Smith, who erupted for a 59-yard touchdown run to give the Maroon Tide a 27-21 lead.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Picayune finally found separation. Starting at the end of the third quarter, the Maroon Tide put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Dowdell scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run. Dowdell was named the game’s MVP after running for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
The game-sealing play came after West Point fumbled the ball on a reverse. As the ball was being exchanged, the ball bobbled out of a Green Wave player’s hands. Picayune’s Jamonta Waller picked the ball up for a scoop and score, which sealed the win for the Maroon Tide.
