VERO BEACH – Thursday night St. Edward’s played the Sunshine State Athletic Conference Championship game against Saint John Lutheran School and came out with a massive win of 47-6.
“They are a well coached team,” Pirates Coach Bill Motta said of Saint John’s. “We knew we had to take advantage of their gaps and alignment – make them one dimensional.” Coming into the game, Saint John’s was 9-1 on the season with a tough running game.
The packed house would not be disappointed.
After forcing a three and out, St. Edward’s J.D. McGee charged in and blocked Saint John’s punt. He picked up the ball and ran it in for a 25-yard touchdown return. St. Edward’s led 7-0 with 10:21 left in the first quarter.
With 1:57 left on the clock during the first quarter, St. Edward’s quarterback Collier Proctor hooked up with McGee on a 15-yard touchdown pass. At the end of the first quarter, St. Edward’s led 14-0.
The Pirates stepped up again in the beginning of the second quarter, forcing a fumble by Saint John’s quarterback, which was recovered by Jamari Williams.
Three plays later, Collier Proctor hooked with wide receiver Kollin Kite on a 43-yard touchdown pass.
One the very next offensive play for Saint John’s Kollin Kite intercepted Saint John’s quarterback and returned it 37 yards for the touchdown.
With 10:09 left before halftime, St. Edward’s led 28-0.
And with 3:49 remaining in the half, Jamari Williams took the handoff up the middle for a 53-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked.
“We came out focused and with a lot of energy,” Coach Motta said of the way his team started the game. “We exposed a weakness in their punt protection.”
In the third quarter, neither team could sustain a drive until St. Edward’s but together a 10-play, 66-yard drive that was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Collier Proctor to tight end Juan Santini with only 40 seconds left in the quarter. The extra point was blocked again, but St. Edward’s extended its lead to 40-0.
On Saint John’s following possession, the center hiked the ball over the quarterback’s head and the opportunity wasn’t lost on the Pirates.
St. Edward’s Assad Shalhoub picked the ball up and ran it in for a 16-yard touchdown. With the extra point, St. Edward’s led 47-0.
Saint John’s was able to get on the scoreboard, when they put together a 9-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Trey Poehlman. Saint John’s failed on the 2 point conversation and St. Edward’s won 47-6.
“We try to make breaks and win the turnover game,” Coach Motta said of the game. “Football is a game of momentum. Once the momentum gets started, it is hard to stop.”
For the game, Quarterback Collier Proctor was 4 of 8 passing with 64 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jamari Williams carried the ball 5 times for 114 yards and a touchdown. J.D. McGee had 51 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.
St. Edward’s ran only 28 plays all game while Saint John’s ran 55 plays. Saint John’s had 10 first downs, St. Edward’s had 6.
“The great thing is, it gives affirmation that all your hard work and sacrifice has been worth it,” Coach Motta said of this season. “All the work outs, the training camps, the morning practices – it was all worth it. I hope they will remember their sacrifices and commitment rewarded them. We instilled a lot of character into our players.”