October 15, 2010

Picayune defeats Brookhaven 38-28

by Carey Meitzler

Brookhaven--Sophomore Ben Hickman ran for three touchdowns and passed for another enabling the Picayune Maroon Tide

to post a 38-28 win over Brookhaven. Picayune improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Region 3-5A.

The Maroon Tide got off to a slow start. After gaining a first down, they were stopped on 4 th down at the Panther 37.

After an incomplete pass on their first play, the Panthers' Trav orious Showers raced 63 yards for a touchdown. Dewey

Stailey's extra point gave Ole Brook a 7-0 lead with 8:38 left in the first quarter.

Picayune responded with a 37 yard touchdown pass from Ben Hickman to Malcolm Faciance. Faciane caught the ball

at the Panther 25, broke a tackle, and rumbled down the right sideline for the score. Wide receiver Javontae Wilson

delivered a block at the 10 yard line that enabled Faciane to score.

Pacer Frierson kicked the point after to tie the game at 7-7 with 5:44 left.

After forcing Ole Brook to a three and out, the Maroon Tide started at their own 17 after the punt. Hickman engineered

a 14 play drive and scored on a 1 yard run with 9:32 left in the second quarter.Frierson's PAT made it 14-7.

Brookhaven responded on their next possession going 62 yards in 5 plays getting the touchdown on a 16 pass from

Duone Harris to Sherrod Gray with 7:01 left. Stailey converted the point after touchdown.

Once again the Maroon Tide offense was clicking as they drove 61 yards in 13 plays with Jamal Hall plunging in from

3 yards out with 1:13 left. Frierson was good on the PAT to make it 21-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, Frierson lofted a "sky" kick that fell out of the sky like a parachute as it landed near the

Panther 30. As a Panther returner extended his arms in an attempt to grab the ball on one bounce, Picayune's

Scottie Merrill jarred him loose from the ball and Nick Marble pounced on it at the 27.

On first down, Hickman again connected with Faciane, this time for a 20 yard gain to the 7. Merrill ran it to the 1 and

Hickman scored from there one play later with :22 left. Frierson made it 28-14 at the half.

On the first series of down in the third quarter, Picayune's Brandon Landry recovered a fumble at the Panther 45.

Picayune drove the yardage in 6 play with Hickman scoring from 5 yards out with 8:44 left in the third quarter.

Frierson's PAT made it 35-14.

The Maroon Tide created another turnover as Cody Smith jarred the ball free from a Panther receiver and the ball

richocettted into the hands of Deoronte Magee. However, the Maroon Tide turned the ball back over on an interception

two plays later.

Brookhaven moved the ball to the Maroon Tide 16, but Smith made another play as he stopped the QB Harris on a

keeper around right end at the 11.

Picayune ran 14 plays before settling for a 27 yard field goal from Frierson with 9:45 left in the game.

Brookhaven concluded the scoring on a 1 yard run by Harris with 1:36 left. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

Hickman completed 5 of 9 passes for 105 yards and ran for 21 yards net on 9 carries (he had minus 4 yards on

two victory kneel plays to end the game). Hall had 184 yards on 34 rushes .

Picayune travels to Pearl River Central on Friday for a 7:00pm kickoff.