By Trent Friedel, exclusive to the Times
LaSalle throttles Saint Mary’s offensive engine of a week ago and unleashes a scoring frenzy against the visitors. St. Mary’s entered the game coming off an impressive win over Block for homecoming. The thrill of victory was replaced by the agony of defeat. The visiting Tigers received the opening kick and held good field position near mid-field. Senior quarterback Bankston rushes 35 yards on the opening play to set up his Tigers at the LaSalle 20. That would be about as far as Saint Mary’s would go before they are backed up on a couple of sacks issued by LaSalle.
Bankston pins LaSalle inside their own five yard line on the punt. LaSalle goes 95 plus yards on about 6 plays and scores on a rushing play of 50 yards up the middle by senior quarterback Blade Beaubouef. The point after kick is no good and LaSalle takes an early 6 – 0 lead. Saint Mary’s receives the ensuing kick and goes three downs and punts to LaSalle. The kick appears to be partially blocked and returned by LaSalle to the visiting Tiger 17.
LaSalle scores two plays later on a quick slant pass but miss the extra point. LaSalle 12 Saint Mary’s 0. Saint Mary’s begins a drive that progresses inside the red zone before stalling at the 15. Emerson Rodriguez puts points on the board with a 32 yard field goal to narrow the score. LaSalle 12, St. Mary’s 3.
The first quarter ends as LaSalle is in possession of the ball and driving. The first play of the second quarter is a pass from Beaubouef to Deaigneault in the flats that he takes nearly sixty yards before being caught from behind by Bankston at the four. LaSalle scores on third down with a pass from Beaubouef to Baum and the two point attempt is good. LaSalle 20, St. Mary’s 3.
Saint Mary’s gives the ball over to LaSalle on the next series and the home Tigers have good field position at the Saint Mary’s 44. The first play from scrimmage has Beaubouef connecting with a receiver deep to set them up first and goal to go at the St. Mary’s four. Saint Mary’s defense comes up big denying the home Tigers the end zone. Damon LaGrande has a big sack backing LaSalle up to the twenty. Beaubouef finds big tight end Deaigneault over the middle on fourth down but it’s short of the end zone. Visiting Tigers take over at the four and the offense throws a piston in the engine. Andrew Godfrey fumbles the snap from center and LaSalle recovers at the one. Beaubouef easily trots in from there on the next play to add six points. The point after try is no good, LaSalle 26, St. Mary’s 3.
Saint Mary’s begins another drive and gets into LaSalle territory on the feet of Graeme Fidelak but the engine leaks oil on a holding call that backs them up before Bankston drains the radiator and fumbles to LaSalle. LaSalle capitalizes on the turnover and scores a few plays later on a fourteen yard run by #2 Zach Dickey. PAT fails LaSalle 32, St. Mary’s 3. A little more than two minutes remain in the first half as Bankston places duct tape on the offense and drives to score. He runs twice, passes once and then scampers in for the score from nine yards out and the two point try fails.
LaSalle 32, St. Mary’s 9. Saint Mary’s kicks to LaSalle to open the second half of play and the home Tigers immediately go to work. They score on the opening drive when Zach Dickey runs 23 yards to score. The two point pass fails, score LaSalle 38, St. Mary’s 9. Saint Mary’s seems to have made some repairs to the offense and scores on their first possession of the second half on a 22 yard pass from Bankston to Gallien. The two point try fails, LaSalle 38, St. Mary’s 15 but the deficit is large and the engine is failing. The deficit grows on the next series. Saint Mary’s has LaSalle facing a third and eight and denies the home Tigers the first down on the play but commits a costly penalty to give LaSalle a first down. LaSalle scores shortly after on a pass from Beaubouef to Deaigneault that goes 45 yards to pay dirt.
A two point pass attempt fails but Saint Mary’s trails 44 – 15. The ensuing kickoff has Saint Mary’s pinned deep inside the 5. The offensive repairs of the half unravel and the visiting Tigers suffer catastrophic engine failure as Bankston throws a pick six to Kade Hillestad. Hillestad takes the interception 35 yards to the house and the PAT kick fails, LaSalle 50, Saint Mary’s 15. The Tigers of Saint Mary’s receive the kick and third quarter expires during that possession. A young LaSalle group begins to get touches on offense and the LaSalle scoring would cease after much damage was inflicted on Saint Mary’s. Saint Mary’s would score once more on a 50 yard pass from Godfrey to Tate Nelson. The two point try fails, score LaSalle 50, Saint Mary’s 21.
LaSalle gets their first win of the season and Saint Mary’s falls below five hundred at 2-3 on the season. They look to improve that record as they travel to Montgomery on Friday night to continue district play.
