Saints beat Redskins in high-scoring game

The Saints returned home last Thursday to host the Algood Redskins at Coach Steve Trapp Field. It was a high-scoring game, with the home team coming out on top. If you like offense, this was the game for you. Each team scored on its opening drive, but the Saints struck first. The Saints got the ball first, with Kayden Hunt returning to the 43. There, QB Mason Curtis got the ball to the 50, then a pass to Zayden Hernandez reached the 47 for a first down. Another Curtis keeper was good to the 37, then another pass to Hernandez was to the 33. Curtis called his own number two more times and reached the 14, where a Hernandez carry reached the eight. Colt Quarles then got a couple of carries to the three-yard line, where Curtis ran it in himself for the touchdown. The two-point try was marred by a false start, but a pass to Hernandez connected in the end zone. The Saints were up 8-0 with 3:15 left in the first. A squib kick ended with the Redskins getting the ball at the Saints' 48, and Algood was poised to strike. A Dalton Loghry pass to Jonah Meador fell incomplete, then a Tyler Tornu run was good to the 38. A Rylin Davenport carry was good to the six, then a pass fell incomplete. Another Davenport run was in the end zone, and with the two-point conversion, the game was tied 8-8 with 2:10 left in the first. The Saints wasted little time responding. The kick was down at the 35, where a pass was incomplete. A pass to Zayne Thomas was good to the Algood 49, then a Curtis keeper was in for the touchdown. Curtis kept it for the two-pointer, and with 1:04 left in the first, the Saints were on top 16-8. Algood started their next possession at the Saints' 30, but it wouldn't do them any good. A pitch to Davenport reached the 25, but there the drive stalled. Facing a fourth and five from the 25, they rolled the dice. A pass to Tornu was incomplete, and the Saints took over on downs. Once again, the Saints mounted a scoring drive. Hernandez carried to the Redskin 15, then Curtis ran a keeper to the six. After a bobbled snap, Curtis kept the ball and ran it in for six. Another keeper was good for two, and with 6:09 left in the half, DeKalb was up 24-8. The Redskins may have stumbled in their last drive, but they would move the ball on this one. Another squib kick gave them the ball at their own 43, and a Davenport run gave them five more. Another carry was good to the Saints' 47, then an Emmett Bates carry was down for a one-yard loss. On another fourth-down try, Davenport carried to the 13, then again to the 10. A pass to Loghry was incomplete, then Davenport ran it in for six. A pass was good for two, and the Redskins had cut the lead to 24-16 with 2:01 left in the half. The Saints would make quick work of their next possession, with the kick fair-caught at the Saints' 40. A Curtis keeper was down at the Algood 25, then a pass to Thomas was good for the touchdown. A false start on the two-point try backed them up five, then a pass fell incomplete. DeKalb was on top, 30-16, with 1:41 left in the half. Algood would go three-and-out, and the half would end with the Saints looking towards the third quarter. The Redskins began the second half at their own 39 and would reach the Saints' 41 before a bad snap and a sack doomed their drive. The punt would set the Saints up at the 24, where a Curtis keeper took the ball to the 33. A Colt Quarles run reached the 41, then a Curtis run reached the 40, but a holding call downfield backed it up to the 40. Hernandez ran to the 44, then a keeper was good to the Algood 46. Curtis kept the ball once again and went all the way for the touchdown. A pass to Hernandez was incomplete, but DeKalb was up 36-16 with 1:45 left in the third. Algood wouldn't simply lay down and would score on their next possession. Starting at their own 43, Davenport carried to the 50, then a pass was incomplete. A Sam Short run reached the Saints' 49; then Hernandez carried to the 46, then in for a touchdown. With a PAT, Algood had again cut the lead to 36-23 with 6:53 left in the game. The Saints still had one more scoring drive in them and returned the kick to the Redskin 45. A Curtis run was good to the 35, then a Quarles carry was down at the three. Quarles was handed the ball again and was in for a touchdown. A Curtis keeper was good for two, and with 5:09 left to play, the Saints commanded a 44-23 lead. And that's where the score would stay. Algood fell into desperation mode and would end a five-play drive on a fourth-down pass at the Saints' 36. DeKalb took over and ran the clock out, claiming the 44-23 victory. The Saints travel to the far-away land of Stone Memorial this Thursday to face the Panthers. Game time is 6:30.