25 Teams in 25 days: Picayune Maroon Tide

The story always seems to write itself at stop number seven on News 25’s 25 Teams in 25 Days where Picayune was just one state championship game victory away from sending former Head Coach Dodd Lee off into the sunset with his third gold ball.

- the story always seems to write- itself at stop number 7, on - news 25's 25 teams in 25 days..- where picayune was just one - state championship game victory- away... from- sending former head coach dodd- lee, off into the sunset... wit- his - third gold ball.- now ready to embark upon year 1- of the cody stogner - era... class 5-a south still- runs through the home of the- maroon tide... until further- notice.

- - 25 teams in 25 days... brought- to you by gulf coast business - furniture and supply... your- source for covid-19 supplies an- - - - all of your sanitation needs.

- nat ---> "eyes on three, eyes o three.

Hey, oh on three, oh on- me.

One, two, - three, oh!"

"nothing is broke, so we're not going to fix anything.

Learned - lot of things and we're - just going to carry over what's- been going on, what's been- working for so long.- like you said, big shoes to - fill.

It might be a new era, bu- - - - we're going with the same - attitude."

Who better to take over for - picayune coaching legend- dodd lee... than someone who- knows the program inside- and out.- cody stogner not only played fo- coach lee, back in the day... - he's been on staff, for the las- 13 years... serving as the- offensive coordinator and o-lin- coach... each of the last - - - - two seasons.- "well, the standards are set high in picayune.

I mean it's - been that way since - - - - coach lee got here back in '95,- so we're going to continue to d- what this - community expects of us.

This - community expects perfection.

- this community- expects a winner.

And we're - going to work hard and we're- going to do everything we - can to give them what they want- and what they need."

The expectations have never bee- higher, at picayune... fresh- off its most dominant season...- perhaps ever.

- the maroon tide outscored - opponents by an average of 34 - points per game, in 20-19...- something the 2011 and 2013 - state championship teams... - didn't even come close- to doing.

- "everybody in the town, everybody wants him to go out - with a big old bang - and we were just trying to give- that to him.

We tried our - hardest, got to the - state championship.

We fought - until the very end."

After starting the season a - perfect 14-0... the tide ran- into a- buzzsaw, in the 5-a title - game... also known as west- point.- even still... picayune was down- just five with about five - minutes to go... ultimately - falling 38-26, to the green - wave... - as the tide had to wave - goodbye... to the dream - season... - that almost was.- "i don't know about everybody else, but i know i use that to- motivate myself a lot.- that really drives me to think- we were that close to doing it- and that it is doable."

"having a great season like tha and getting to the last one,- it's just like you- missed out on something and - we're using that feeling to fue- us in the weight- room, out here on the field,- trying to get better."

The biggest difference between- last year's team and- this year's team... is the- absence of cameron thomas... an- his - 51 total touchdowns.- now a freshman running back, at- mississippi gulf coast communit- college... thomas ended his - picayune career, with a - 3,517-yard- season... tied for the most - rushing yards... in the entire- nation.

- stepping up to fill that void..- - - - is the three-headed monster, of- austin samples... dorian- robinson... and dante dowdell.- "a lot of people think that we might not have any running back- that can replace- cam, but i think we have that - under cover, and they need to - look out for some of those- running backs coming up."

"i mean we're picayune.

We're still going to run the ball,- still going to run good.- - - - dante, he shouldn't have no - problems carrying on what cam - had last year."

Three yards and a cloud of dust- has always been the key to- picayune's success, on- offense... and that won't - change under coach stogner.

- neither will the program's- m-t-x-e mantra... or its state- championship or bust- mentality... under this year's- class... of 19- seniors.- "mental toughness, extra effort."

"mental toughness and extra effort."

"mental toughness, extra effort it's what it's always been, and- just get that ring."

- - - - as a result of starting the - season two weeks late...- picayune only lost one road -