Picayune’s offense struggled early, failing to score on their initial possession and having to punt from their 24-yard line. Brandon capitalized on this, with quarterback Sladen Shack throwing a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jay McQueen and a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Robinson.
Despite the early deficit, Picayune made a strong comeback. Jordan Hathorne broke a 47-yard touchdown run to bring the Maroon Tide within a touchdown. Later, Hathorne added another score with a 15-yard run to tie the game at 14-14.
The second quarter saw both teams exchanging scores, but Picayune fell behind again. Brandon’s Shack threw for a 12-yard touchdown to Quincy Phillips, and Robinson added an 11-yard rushing touchdown. A critical 30-yard pick-six by Brandon’s Tray McQueen extended the Bulldogs’ lead. Brandon Parker responded with a 47-yard touchdown pass to A’Darrius Fortenberry, but the Maroon Tide trailed 36-21 at halftime.
In the second half, Picayune continued to fight back. Darrell Smith scored on a 12-yard run, and Hathorne added a seven-yard touchdown run, bringing the score to 39-34 at the end of the third quarter.
However, Brandon pulled away in the fourth quarter with additional touchdowns from Daylon Stewart, a fumble recovery touchdown by Preston Ashley, and a 71-yard punt return by Logan Drummond. Picayune could not close the gap despite their efforts, ultimately falling 60-34.
Head Coach Cody Stogner reflected on the game, saying, “Some things got away from us, some bad play calls on my end, but our kids fought hard. That was an excellent football team we played. Depth has been an issue for us, and we got a little tired during the second half. I’m proud of the way my guys fought. That is the makeup of this team—the scoreboard does not reflect how hard we played and how good of a game we played.”
The post Picayune Falls to Brandon in High-Scoring Season Opener appeared first on Picayune Item .
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