Saints Fall to Blue Devils 35-21 in SAC Match-up, 2nd Consecutive Loss
By David Latva

St. Ignace Saints offense during the first half against Sault High Blue Devils Friday, October 5.

The St. Ignace Saints suffered their first two-game losing streak, losing to Straits Area Conference rival Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils 35-21 Friday, October 5, on the heels of a loss to Cheboygan September 28. The Saints look to close out the season on a positive note on the road against Lincoln- Alcona Friday, October 19.

St. Ignace, 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the SAC, has played the last two games without the services of Kyle Smock, who was leading the Saints ground attack (502 yards) and receivers (114 yards) in the first five games.

The Saints played back-to-back games with the two biggest football programs in the SAC, Cheboygan, which beat St. Ignace last week 41-14, and the Sault. The Saints have already clinched a playoff spot, earning the required five wins.

The Saints had to play catch-up as the Blue Devils scored on five plays on their first possession, which started at the 47-yard line, ending it with a four-yard run at 9:19 of the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

James Halberg

Defense highlighted the play for both teams until the 2:20 mark of the second quarter, when the Sault's James German connected with Nick Odbert on a 46-yard scoring pass, for a 12-0 advantage.

A pass interception by the Saints' James Peterson inside the one-minute mark set up the Saints' first scoring drive.

Gerrit Mortensen completed a 15-yard pass to Alec Fitzgerald, and with 22 seconds on the clock, Mortensen then tossed a lateral pass across the field to Anthony Lester, and Lester hit Shawn Cowell in the endzone for a 27- yard scoring pass. Mortensen kicked the extra point to slice the Blue Devils lead to 12-7 at halftime.

Momentum swung the Sault's way quickly in the start of the second half, as the Blue Devils scored on a 48-yard, seven-play drive, which ended with Jerrod Dillion scoring from nine yards out. The senior running back then added a two-point conversion to put his Blue Devils up 20-7 at 9:04. Dillon would strike again at 2:30 left in the third, scampering 42- yards for the touchdown and a 28-7 lead.

The Saints defense scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, as Steffan Saffian blocked a Blue Devils punt and Cowell recovered the ball in the endzone for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 28- 13.

Nate Thompson

The Blue Devils' final touchdown came with 4:47 left in the game on a 62-yard touchdown run by Dillon. Odbert kicked the extra point to put the Sault's lead to 35- 13.

Nick Montie intercepted a Blue Devils pass and, four plays later, Mortensen fired a 27-yard scoring pass to Lester, who also completed a two-point conversion pass to Peterson.

Saints offensive stats: Gerrit Mortensen, 13 of 20 passes for 141 yards, nine carries for 37 yards; Anthony Lester, three for three passing for 45 yards; seven receptions for 45 yards, two carries for seven yards; Jesse Becker, 13 carries for 33 yards; Shawn Cowell, 10 carries for 32 yards, two receptions for 37 yards; James Peterson, six carries for 44 yards; Alec Fitzgerald, three receptions for 33 yards.

Saints defensive stats: Nick Montie, 11 tackles, one interception; Steffan Saffian, eight tackles, one blocked punt; Derek Marshall, eight tackles; James Peterson, seven tackles, one interception; Tyler Oja, Andy Tamlyn, James Halberg, Anthony Lester, five tackles; Gerrit Mortensen, Nick Gould, Alec Fitzgerald, Michael Wilk, Lance DeKeyser, two tackles.

Blue Devils offensive stats: Jerrod Dillon, five carries for 121 yards; Zach Anderson, 13 carries for 95 yards; Peter Formolo, 12 carries for 46 yards.

The Saints have an open date Friday, October 12, before traveling to Lincoln-Alcona to battle the Tigers (2-5) in the final regular season game Friday, October 19.

Saints, Chiefs to Play at Saints

Field Thursday, Oct. 11

St. Ignace and Cheboygan junior varsity football teams will play Thursday, October 11, at 5:30 p.m. at Saints Field. This game was not on the schedule.