By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PICAYUNE — On Friday night, D’Iberville was not only attempting to start a season off at 3-0 for the first time since 2021 but also looking to become the first team to beat perennial state power Picayune twice in the past three years as well.
But after a sluggish first half, the home-standing Maroon Tide ultimately had other ideas in both cases.
Picayune got over 200 yards rushing and two touchdowns from tailback Darrell Smith for the second straight week, and in the process overcame a 19-7 halftime deficit to knock off the Warriors 28-19 at Lee-Triplett Stadium in an early season showdown.
The decision leaves both teams at 2-1 on the season.

“We got whooped in the first half physically,” Picayune fifth-year head coach Cody Stogner said. “We got into half time and told my guys they had to want it more. Coaches made great adjustments and the 2nd half was more picayune football. but we can’t do it just for 24 minutes, we have to play solid for all 48 minutes.”

Coming off a 23 carry, 230-yard rushing performance in a 35-0 win over Slidell Northshore last week in which he ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass, Smith bettered that outing with 24 carries and 259 yards rushing and two more scores Friday night in what was a career best game for the senior standout that has committed to Louisiana-Lafayette.
As Stogner stated, the first half was all Warriors, however.

Jeremiah Butler gave DHS an early lead late in the first quarter on a 12-yard scoring dash at the 3:09 mark to make it 6-0.
Then, it was Andre Crosby’s turn to take over for the Warriors. His 1-yard touchdown plunge less than a minute into the second stanza doubled D’Iberville’s lead to 12-0.
Picayune finally showed some life 10 minutes later, when quarterback Brandon Parker scored on a 6-yard keeper around the right end to cut the deficit to 12-7 with 2:13 left before halftime.
But Crosby and DHS weren’t done, as Jayquan Havard took the ensuing kickoff and returned it just over 50 yards to the Tide 28.
Crosby then took just one play to cover the remaining distance as he scampered 28-yards for a score to make it 19-7 DHS with 1:48 to go in the second quarter.
But it was all Picayune in the second half.

Smith got into the action with an 84-yard scoring scamper mid-way through the third frame to make it 19-14 and start a span of 21 unanswered points to close out the game for the Maroon Tide.
Three minutes later, Smith broke through the DHS defense right up the middle for a 28-yard gain to the Warrior 20. Two plays later Tristan Cooper moved the ball down to the one yard line on a 19-yard run, and on the next play Picayune took the lead for good when Parker’s quarterback sneak made it 21-19 with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter.
As the final period unfolded, Smith put the game away and secured the Maroon Tide win on a 35-yard touchdown dash to complete the scoring.
Crosby finished with 94 yards rushing and the two scores for the Warriors.
Picayune remains at home for its fourth straight home games to start the season next week as Gulfport pays a visit, while D’Iberville remains on the road and takes a trip to Pascagoula.