All season long, the Saints have seemingly gotten better each game, culminating last Thursday evening in a dominating performance against the Upperman Stingers in a 22-6 victory for DMS. The Saints’ defense has played remarkably well all season and Coach Poteete and his staff have cultivated the DMS offense into a much improved, tough, and gritty unit as of late.
Quarterbacks Collin Donnell and Hayden Quarles are emerging as lethal offensive weapons with Donnell primarily being used as the Saints’ running option and Quarles being brought in for passing situations. That combined with running backs Dominique Williamson and Preston Taylor running hard in the backfield, the Saints have been putting their opponents’ defenses on their heels, not being able to key off on any one player. That combined with lockdown defensively play, the Saints have transformed themselves into a team that looks like a serious postseason contender.
Thursday, the Saints opened the game with perhaps their most impressive drive of the season thus far, driving the ball 62 yards downfield in 8 plays on their opening drive. The offensive line manhandled the Stinger Defensive line allowing Donnell and Taylor to pound out yardage on the ground before Quarles found Taylor from 21 yards out to give the Saints their first score, 6-0.
Williamson would recover an Upperman fumble on the ensuing kickoff, setting the Saints up in good field position at the Upperman 30-yard line. 3 plays later, Williamson would run in from 8 yards out to put the Saints on the scoreboard again. This time, however, Quarles would find Taylor again, this time for the two-point conversion, and with 1:37 left in the first quarter, the Saints led 14-0.
The Saints defense would force an Upperman three-and-out, but Quarles would throw an interception to hand the ball back to the Stingers. No harm was done, however, as the defense rose to the occasion again forcing the Stingers to turn the ball over on downs with 4:27 left in the half.
The Saints would mount another impressive drive, eating up almost all of the balance of the first half before Quarles would throw another pick at the Upperman 5-yard line, essentially as time expired to send both teams to the break.
It was more of the same in the second half as DeKalb forced another Upperman three-and-out and in a rare DeKalb misstep, the Saints would be forced to punt in successive series. However, Donnell recovered another fumble by Upperman on the Dekalb 42-yard line put the offense back on the field.
This time DeKalb would make it hurt.
After a holding penalty set them back, Donnell, Williamson and Taylor ran seemingly at will through the Stinger defense and Taylor would run in from 11 yards out to put the Saints on the board again. The two-point conversion was good and with 6:10 left in the game, DeKalb led 22-0.
Coach Poteete used the remaining time to sub in some younger players on defense and with Upperman’s varsity still in, the Stingers were able to mount their only drive of the night and score. The two-point conversion was no good and with 3:03 left on the clock, DeKalb led 22-6.
DeKalb looked as though it might score again, but Williamson would fumble on the Upperman 22-yard line with 34 seconds remaining. It wouldn’t matter though, as it was too little too late for the Stingers and DeKalb left Baxter with the win, 22-6.
The Saints will play their last regular season home game this Thursday on Eight Grade night, where they will face district opponent White County. A win puts the Saints in the postseason, something they haven’t done in 3 season
