Undefeated St. Mary’s opened eyes all around the state Friday night, passing its toughest test in non-district play in convincing style with a 23-14 victory at Winnfield.
The Tigers put down their Class 2A hosts with a soul-crushing fourth-quarter scoring drive capped by Jacob Thibodaux’s 6-yard touchdown run with six minutes remaining.
St. Mary’s climbed to 5-0, with three wins over 2A opponents and another over a 3A foe, and dropped Winnfield to 3-2 at Stokes-Walker Stadium in front of a stunned home crowd.
District competition begins for SMHS this Friday at Turpin Stadium, against defending champion Logansport (4-1) in what suddenly looks like a clash of District 3-A titans. Logansport was upset Friday night at home by Red River 30-24 – the same Red River team St. Mary’s beat on the road with a last-second victory in Week 2.
St. Mary’s grabbed a two-score lead at Winnfield, opening with John Paul Thibodaux’s 2-yard run followed by a 59-yard TD connection caught by Dennis Morgan from Preston Tilley, and a two-point conversion run by Thibodaux.
Winnfield rallied quickly in the first half, scoring twice in a four-minute span for a 14-all tie. The visiting Tigers regained the lead going into the locker room when Carter Hogg ended a drive with a 24-yard field goal with one second to go for a 17-14 edge.
The St. Mary’s defense blanked Winnfield afterward, led by Weston LeGrande’s 12 tackles (including a sack) and 10 by Jacob Thibodaux. Kane Dortlon made nine stops and Trip Philen had seven, while Jayd Linebaugh added six.
The clincher was a fourth-down stop with 2:23 left halting Winnfield at the SMHS 24.
LAKEVIEW: The Gators finished their non-district slate 2-3 after a second-straight lopsided road loss to an upper class opponent. Richwood’s Class 3A Rams routed Lakeview 55-0 in Monroe.
District 3-1A competition begins this Friday for Lakeview at home against Montgomery.