By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PICAYUNE — The renewal of the Gulfport-Picayune rivalry is this week’s “Sonic of South Mississippi Big Game of the Week”.
The Admirals travel to Lee-Triplett Stadium Friday night for their annual showdown with the Maroon Tide.
Picayune and Gulfport meet for the 10th consecutive season and for the 11th time since the beginning of the 2011 season in which the Maroon Tide went on to win the state championship and then capture three more over the next 11 years.

Both teams sit at 2-1 on the season, and this will mark the fourth straight home game for the Maroon Tide to start the season for the first time in over fifty years. Picayune has won five straight in this annual affair and seven of the past eight meetings in a series that dates back over 100 years.
Gulfport suffered its first loss of the season last week to Madison Central on the road, while Picayune has won two straight games since a season-opening loss to Brandon as head coach Cody Stogner’s crew continued to battle back after a season-opening loss with its second consecutive win.

The Maroon Tide overcame a 19-7 halftime deficit against visiting D’Iberville and rallied for a 28-19 win at Lee-Triplett Stadium. Coming off a 23 carry, 230-yard rushing performance in a 35-0 win over Slidell Northshore the week before in which he ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass, Maroon Tide senior standout tailback Darrell Smith bettered that outing with 24 carries and 259 yards rushing and two more scores as Picayune handed the Warriors their first loss of the season in what was a career-best game for Smith who has committed to Louisiana-Lafayette.

Home-standing Madison Central beat Gulfport 31-21 at Jaguar Stadium last week, handing the Admirals their first loss of the season.
The powerful ground attack of Picayune, which has accounted for over 1,000 yards rushing in just three games, has to be a bit worrisome for Gulfport after the Admirals allowed a total of 266 yards rushing in the loss to MCHS. Jaguar running back Glenn Singleton finished the night with 22 carries for 108 yards and three touchdowns to lead Madison Central.

For Gulfport, quarterback Dane Sullivan was 10-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while versatile senior standout Tre’Von Deans had 104 total yards on offense and on defense he had five tackles and a interception.
Gulfport linebacker Andre Peters led the Admirals with 20 tackles, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Sonic Drive-In of South Mississippi has always been a longtime supporter of student/athletes in South Mississippi and all across the Southeast.