Celebrations continue in Picayune as Maroon Tide football championship parade rolls through

In Picayune, there’s a motto that goes ‘we can, we will, we must.’ After beating West Point 40-21 in the 5A state title game last Saturday, it’s more like ‘we can, we will, we just did.’

The Maroon Tide celebrating its first gold ball since 2013 with a championship parade going down Goodyear Boulevard and right into the Crosby Commons.

Players and coaches joined by the band, cheer and dance, parents, family, friends, and administration as well as Mayor Jim Luke who presented Head Coach Cody Stogner with a key to the city. Middle linebacker Amarion Tyson said, “Feels so much good for our people, our family members to come out and show us some support – the Maroon Tide some support, and they’re going to see us next year with this gold ball again.”

Coach Stogner said, “That was the first key ever. That was the first key ever. I made a joke up there. I hope we can get a keychain and get a couple more of them. But it’s a great feeling. It’s a great honor. I’m honored to be in this position I’m in. But it’s not about just me. It’s the whole program. The whole program has earned this. To really be honest with you, I was hoping it was a skeleton key to all the restaurants in town, but I don’t think it is. But we’re going to hang it up in the school, and let everybody be proud of it.”

The Maroon Tide end the year with an overall record of 14-1.