October 26,2007

Tide turns back Long Beach 47-27

by Carey Meitzler

The Maroon Tide kept their Division 8-4A record unblemished by virtue of a 47-27 victory over Long Beach. The win,

Picayune's 7th in a row since a season opening loss to Moss Point, allowed the Tide to improved to 7-1 overall and 6-0 in

Division games.

On the first play from scrimmage, senior Albert Richard scampered 46 yards to the Bearcat 8 yard line. After a Gabe Hinojosa

run put the ball at the one, Richard plunged in from one yard out with 10:45 left in the first quarter.

After holding Long Beach and forcing a punt that gave the Tide the ball at the 50 yard line, Picayune called Richard's number

once again. He responded by starting to his right and then reversed field back to the left where he found running room and raced

50 yards for a touchdown. Matt Dragon, who converted the first extra point, missed on his attempt to make the score 13-0

with 8:27 left.

Picayune made it 20-0 on Reggie Bailey's 57 yard run with another Dragon PAT. The lead ballooned to 26-0 on Caleb

Hickman's 3 yard touchdown pass to Gabe Hinojosa. The point after was missed and the score stood at 26-0 with 1:58 left.

Drew Cole intercepted a Bearcat pass on their next possession, but two plays after Cole's play, Picayune threw an interception

and Long Beach returned it to the Maroon Tide 42 yard line. The Bearcats would eventually score on a four yard run by

quarterback Jeremy Hill with :02 left in the half.

Photos by John Young

 Chris Nixon hauls in a pass from Caleb Hickman.                                 Hickman looks for Chris Nixon.

Long Beach scored on their first possession after intermission Hill's 37 yard pass to Bradley Jacobs and with Hayley Hammonds

PAT, the score was 26-14 with 10:34 left in the third quarter.

After an exchange of punts, Picayune marched 55 yards on 7 plays with Drew Cole scored on a 2 yard run with 4:26 left in the

third quarter. Dragon's PAT made it 33-14.

The Bearcats responded with a kickoff return to the Tide 20 yard line. Six plays later, Hill passed to Roger Sims for 16 yard

touchdown pass with 2:56 left.

Picayune answered with a 57 yard drive on 10 plays that culminated with Hickman's 12 yard pass to Justin Flowers. Dragon

kicked the PAT for a 40-21 lead.

Photo by John Young

Gabe Hinojosa runs through a seam in the Long Beach defense.

Cole intercepted another Long Beach pass, but Picayune turned the ball over on downs at the Bearcat 17 yard line. Long

Beach was unable to move the football and punted it back to the Tide. A short punt put the Tide at the Long Beach 32 yard

line. On first down, Richard scooted by the Bearcat defense for a 32 yard touchdown run. Dragon's PAT was good put the

score at 47-21.

Long Beach's (2-6, 1-4) last score came on a 1 yard run by Jacobs with :26 left.

Richard finished with 204 yards on 18 carries. Hickman was 7 of 12 for 71 yards.

Next week, Picayune will host the unbeaten D'Iberville Warriors (9-0) for the Division 8-4A championship.