Barry Harper

WOW! What a game we had this past Friday night. First of all, let me tip my hat to Northwest Rankin. They were a very well coached team and gave a great effort the entire ballgame. Their fans showed up in great numbers and were very vocal throughout the game. I don't exactly know how the playoffs will play out, but I do hope Northwest Rankin gets in. They had some real talented kids, and I am sure we will be watching some of them playing on the college level in the next few years. Players, coaches, and fans from this Rankin county school are a classy bunch, and who knows, we could meet them
again this year. Good luck N.W. the rest of the year.

NOW! What can I say about our Maroon Tide bunch that has not already been said this year.  They are well coached, they play hard every play, and they believe in what they are doing. once you get players.  Believing in the system and believing in one another you have got something special. They are like a well-

oiled machine out there every Friday night. If one part of the machine goes down, a new player is inserted into the line-up and the team just keeps on trucking. Some people may refer to this as depth. This Maroon Tide team has got a lot of it at every position. When most high schools lose key players, it disrupts their

whole strategy. Picayune has already proved when a starter cannot play, they are still effective.

Justin Magee has to be one the top running backs in the state (30 rushes for 301 yards against N.W.Rankin). He runs behind a powerful offensive line, but Magee also does a lot on his own. He normally makes the first defender miss and I have never seen anyone run him down from behind. I have seen his weight listed in different publications as 157 pounds. His heart has to weigh 150 pounds. I have seen him hurt, sick, and I have seen him get rocked by bigger players, but he always pops right up and trots back to the huddle. He is simply amazing.

This Friday night # 5 Picayune travels to # 3 Oak Grove to decide the Division 3 5-A championship. Picayune will probably bring a few thousand fans up Interstate 59 to Lamar County . I might add a few thousand rowdy fans. Alright then, a few thousand very rowdy fans. We have got the best fans in the state of Mississippi . How do I know this? Fans from other schools tell us. We have people move to our community so their kids can be a part of this craziness. I am proud of our fan support and we need it need this Friday.  Please come and be LOUD, but PLEASE stay out of trouble.

Finally a big thanks to my secret research partner (Robbie Hamilton). Robbie, I wish you could have seen Carey's face when I started to tell him the origin and history of the Horse (song). The paper, the fax machine, and the phone line that “professor” Hamilton used to get me this information was very inexpensive; however the look on Mr. Meitzler's face was priceless. Thanks again.  This Friday, the way I see it, Picayune 23 Oak Grove 20

Carey Meitzler

Thanks (yeah right) to Robbie Hamilton for helping Barry Harper on the origin and history of the “HORSE”. Barry mentioned something about a follow up song from Chris Noble name the “Mule”. Well, if the shoe fits (probably does in this case), then wear it guys. Seriously, I think the world of Robbie Hamilton. Robbie is the Voice of the McComb Tigers & the Southwest Mississippi Community College Bears. He is one of the best in the business. Also, I enjoyed having Barry back for one game in Jason Pigott's absence. He's still entertaining to say the least. Thanks again, Barry. Jason, with a bye week, you should be well rested for the stretch run, so let's get to it.

Congrats to Coach Dodd Lee for the milestone he reached in passing two legends in Dobie Holden (70) and Calvin Triplett (62) on the all time win list for coaches in Picayune Maroon Tide history. I think they are many more wins ahead of you based on the crop of youngsters waiting in the wings for their chance to play for the Tide on Fridays. I just realized this week (I am a little slow at times), that I saw all but two of the wins (once covering another game and once out of town on business). It's been a lot of fun from Chris “Big Hurt” McGirt and Michael “Kilo” Watts; “the Nicks at Night” (Wilkes, Woodson, Wash) and John “the Undertaker” Feaster and Seth “GoGet'em” Gouget playing as sophomores against Gulfport; The “Two Between the Bricks” in 2001 and then the “catch” by Richard Imhoff against Laurel last year. A lot of memories. And this year, it just continues to grow.

Congrats to the Tide for a gutsy performance in coming from behind (17-14) at half time to overtake a very talented Northwest Rankin team. Justin Magee was awesome, but let us never forget that it starts with Scotty Dunn, Kevin Parker, Tim Hoffman, Donel Smith, Steven Whitfield, Mit Cole, and Eric Griffin. These guys have yet to back down from anyone. I would expect nothing different this week at Oak Grove. Scott Southern came in and did a good job when Donel went out with an injury. My prayers go out to Donel for a speedy recovery. Speaking of Eric Griffin, he disrupted things quite a few times against Northwest Rankin. No, he wasn't making every tackle, but he was making it a little easier for other Tide defenders by taking on the first surge from the NWR offensive blocking corps.

Nevil Barr has rejuvenated the Oak Grove football fortunes since leaving Petal to go west on Hwy 98 a few years back. He is crafty and always has a good offense. They have been running the no-huddle offense to near perfection this season. The no huddle will make it tough on our using the multiple people we are accustomed to using on the defensive line. Oak Grove is a good football team without Garry Pack (6-1, 212, Sr). With him, they are very, very good. Pack has scored 22 touchdowns (21 rush, 1 pass reception). Incidentally, he wears number 22. Pack loves to take it to the defense when he is running the ball. He thrives on contact. The Tide must gang tackle and get someone wrapped around his ankles each and every time. On defense, he is a force to be reckoned with as he unleashes some ferocious hits. Let me put it this way. My brother Lee, who lives in Oak Grove, played QB at Picayune and PRCC in the early 70s. He watches a lot of football and Lee says Pack is the best high school football player he has ever watched. Lee has never been one to boast and I highly respect his opinion. If he says Pack is good, count on it.

Their quarterback, Kyle Sellers (5-11, 175, Sr) is the best passer we will face thus far this season. Sellers has thrown for 10 touchdowns with six (6) going to his favorite receiver in sophomore Terrell Walters who possesses great speed. These two, along with Chris Wright and Grant Hogue, will test the Tide secondary at least 30 times this week. On defense, Wright has returned 3 interceptions and one fumble for touchdowns. Their sophomore kicker Taylor Lovitt is consistent making 39 PATs and 2 field goals, however, he has not been tested like the Tide's Scott Hillery.

The Warriors feel like they are unbeatable and they may be. However, they played NWR and Meridian real close games much like the Tide did in winning both games. As mentioned earlier, Garry Pack is a dominating football player. He's going to get his yards, make his tackles, etc. The key for the Tide is to stop Sellers and his passing game. We have to cover his speedy receivers and put pressure on him and put him on the turf early to get his attention. If the Tide can do this, Picayune will win. If not, it could be a long night. That's not an easy chore, but one that our guys are more than capable of delivering. I think special teams will be the difference in this one. Quincy Coleman and Scott Hillery make the Tide's version of these teams “special”.  This one is going to be the first battle in the war.      Picayune 30   Oak Grove 28