The Selma Times-Journal

The Saints of Selma High came into Friday night’s homecoming game with a new spirit. They found out that their football season will expand into next week, with a berth into the playoffs.

With that spirit, they beat the Wilcox County High School Jaguars 27-12 in a game that was much closer than the score reveals.

Wilcox got on the board first in the opening drive of the game. They marched 62 yards in five plays to take a 6-0 lead in less than three minutes into the game.

Jaguar quarterback Edward Grayson hit Calyn Chestang on a 38-yard pass for the score. The lead, however, was quickly sent in the direction of the home team. Selma got on the board near the end of the first quarter moving 66 yards with Justin Moorer-Jones crossing the end zone on a 1-yard plunge. With a made point after, the Saints went up by one 7-6. WC came right back the next drive that started with 1:59 on the clock in the first quarter and ended at 2:19 of the second quarter. It was an impressive 84-yard drive that took 20 plays and over eleven minutes to complete. The time-consuming drive resulted in a 1-yard dive by Cleveland Coles, who rushed for 66 yards on the night, to send the Jaguars back on top 12-7 after the 2-point conversion failed.

Selma took advantage of good field position after the kickoff return set them up at the Wilcox County’s 48-yard line. The Saints used all but 15 seconds of the 2:15 of the half to go back on top scoring on an 11-yard strike to a falling Bernard Walker from senior quarterback Cajun Pritchett.

The Saints went into half time holding a slim 13 – 12 advantage over the Jaguars.

To start the second half, Darius Steele of Selma took the kickoff 76 yards to the WC 9-yard line.

But the Jaguar defense buckled down and held the Saints to (-) 1 yard in four downs. That was the closest either team came to a score in the third quarter as penalties stifled both teams’ offenses.

Senior Steven Woods added another six for Selma with 5:08 left in the game on a 6-yard run. Woods rushed for 101 yards in 12 carries.

Down just seven with five minutes left in the game, Wilcox attempted its next drive from their own 41-yard line.

The Saint defense held and the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs.

A Wilcox personal foul gave Selma the ball at the Jaguar 25-yard line with just 3:32 to play.

The Saints took advantage giving Woods an opportunity to score his second touchdown on a run around left end at the 1:16 mark. With a converted two points, the victory was sealed, 27-12.

Selma now prepare for the playoffs for the second consecutive season and they also have some momentum going in.