Maroon Tide ride run game to 5A title
Dec. 5—HATTIESBURG — West Point's vaunted rushing attack finally met its match.
Picayune rushed for 393 yards en route to a 40-21 win over the Green Wave in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday night at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
It was the first time all season any team had out-rushed West Point (11-3). Picayune was able to grind out drives on the ground, but it was occasionally explosive, too.
"They've got an excellent run game. (Dante) Dowdell's unbelievable, and they've got other guys, too," West Point coach Chris Chambless said. "... Yards after contact, that's what they do, and they were able to do that tonight."
Dowdell and Chris Davis led the Maroon Tide rushing assault, combining for 287 yards. Davis broke off a 73-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter to give Picayune (14-1) a 20-14 lead that it carried into halftime.
Fullback Darnell Smith had 88 yards, 59 of those coming on a tackle-breaking touchdown run to give Picayune a 27-21 lead with 8:47 left in the third quarter.
West Point had taken what would be its only lead of the game moments earlier, at 21-20, on Cameron Young's 5-yard TD run. Young finished with 92 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
The Green Wave, which entering the game was averaging 370 rushing yards, was held to a season-low 160 Saturday.
"We moved the ball on them and did some things that we wanted to do, but in the fourth quarter the time factor got to us and made us get out of our element," Chambless said.
These teams met two years ago in the 5A title game, with West Point winning. This is Picayune's first championship since 2013.
"It doesn't matter who you play, it always feels good to win this game," Picayune coach Cody Stogner said.
The game was tied 7-7 after one quarter, but Picayune capped a 13-play, 65-yard drive early in the second with a 7-yard Dowdell TD run. West Point answered with a 10-yard run by Young.
Extra Points
Turning Point: Dowdell's 2-yard TD run capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took 6:13 off the clock and gave Picayune a 34-21 lead with 11:10 left.
Point Men: Dowdell rushed for 148 yards and two TDs on 25 carries, while Davis had 139 yards and two TDs on eight carries.
Talking Point: "Nobody gave us a chance all year. That's just the way it was." — Stogner
Notes
—Picayune scored its final touchdown on a 37-yard fumble return by Jamonta Waller.
—Jacoby McQuiller led West Point with 16 tackles.
—This was West Point's second-straight title game loss.
