By Trent Friedel
St. Mary’s traveled to Winnfield Friday, Sept. 8 for their week two match-up. After four strong quarters the St. Mary’s Tigers defeated Winnfield in an overwhelming 62-34 win.
“Everything came together tonight,” said SMH head coach Corwyn Aldredge. “Our front lines really controlled the line of scrimmage and with 42 points in the first half, 30 by the end of the first quarter, we just had a really good night. Bailey Shelton scored in just about every way imaginable. Our quarterback rushed 160 on nine carries and we got 591 yards total on offense.”
Winn won the toss and began the game with a 45-yard run on the first play of the game and then scored six plays latter on a 25-yard pass from Lawson to Lashley. The PAT was good and Winn went up 7-0. On St. Mary’s first play from scrimmage, senior QB Howell ran 25-yards to the midfield. After another 25-yard run by Nelson, and three plays later, the SMH Tigers scored on another 25-yard run off left tackle by Howell. The PAT ran good sending SMH 8- Winn 7. It looked like it was going to be a scoring battle early on.
Winn went three-and-out on the punt attempt- a high snap over the punter putting the ball on the Winn 5-yard line where SMH took over 1st and goal. On the next play SMH scored on a 5-yard pass from Aaron Howell to Jay Parker. With a good PAT pass by Shelton, SMH went up 16-7.
Winn went 3-and-out once more and punted to the SMH 15. On third-on-ten Howell ran 83-yards off left tackle for the score but the PAT pass attempt was no good. SMH then led 22-7. Winn got the ball and a nice couple of plays led up to a strong pass from Lawson to Lashley who turned and ran 64-yards to score for Winnfield but their 2-point-conversion was no good. The score became SMH 22- Winn 13. That would end play for the first quarter.
SMH started the quarter with a couple of non-successful plays to bring up four-and-5. They took a timeout and came out in punt formation. On the short direct snap from Jeremy Friedel to Matt Nelson for the fake, Nelson ran 64-yards to the Winn 7, then punched it in off left tackle to add six more points. Shelton ran in the 2-point-conversion increasing the score, SMH 30- Winn 13.
A few play attempts later during which neither Tiger team could get any big plays, on the first play from the 15 after a turnover, Howell completed a pass to Parker who fumbled and Winnfield took over at the SMH 23. The next play, Lawson ran the 23-yards to score and the kick was good. The score increased to SMH 30- Winn 20 with 5:49 remaining in the half. On the first play from scrimmage in the wing formation, Shelton ran 68-yards to add six more and the PAT attempt was no good. SMH 36-Winn 20. Winnfield would punt to SMH just before the half. With time about to expire, SMH took a timeout when it looked as though they may let time expire for the half. On third-and-13, Howell connected with Shelton on a deep-post pattern, catching him in stride and he went the 67-yards for the touchdown with time expired from the clock. After a missed PAT, SMH led 42- 20 at the half.
SMH would receive the kick to start the second half and Shelton would have a positive return for about 30-yards to the 50. Nelson would then run 10-yards, then 17-yards. After a holding penalty Howell ran about 36-yards to the Winn 3. Howell would score two plays later from the four-yard line and with the PAT no good and four minutes off the clock in the 3rd, SMH continued their attack 48-20.
Winnfield’s Lashley would gash St. Mary’s on the first play after the kick for a 68-yard TD run and a good PAT by Morgan Creel. The score became SMH 48- Winn 27. But hold on to your seat and don’t go anywhere because just like that SMH’s Shelton ran the kick back 85-yards for another SMH score to lead SMH 54-Winn 27.
Winnfield got a first down but drive stalled and they were forced to punt. Matt Nelson would score again on the option with a late pitch from Howell (in the third with 8:30 remaining) on a 65-yard touchdown run. Howell’s two-point conversion was good. The score became SMH 62- Winn 27.
Winn would finish the third and start the fourth with an 18 play 63-yard drive finishing with a two-yard run by Justin Lawson and a good kick to become SMH 62-Winn 34.
That would end all scoring but the second-string SMH Tigers lead by Parker Bankston would close out the game with a long drive and a strong run by Jason Elie ending at the Winn Tiger 12-yard line before going into victory formation as time expired.
SMH had 16 first downs to Winn’s 15. SMH had 93 passing yards, Winn 83. SMH collected 298 rushing yards dominating Winn who collected 214. On total offense SMH had 591 yards and Winnfield punted four times for an average of 38 yards. Nelson led the rushing yards going 197 yards on 10 carries.
“I didn’t expect this huge win tonight. They play really really fast. I challenged them really hard in the beginning of the week to get into that speed and they did an incredible job. Defense just gave up a big play every once in a while, but I’m incredibly proud of how they performed.”
St. Mary’s will take on North Caddo Friday, Sept. 15 at home with kickoff at 7 p.m. A game preview can be read in the Thursday, Sept. 14 edition of the Natchitoches Times.