By Blake Deshazo
The Selma Times-Journal
The Selma Saints (1-5) hoped to get their second win on the season against Northridge (2-5) Friday night, but turnovers proved costly in a 28-6 loss at Memorial Stadium.

Selma coughed up the ball five times, giving the Jaguars a short field and easy scoring opportunities.

“It is what it is,” said Selma head coach Keon Handley. “We lost because we didn’t protect the ball on offense.”

The 6A region four game was a must-win for both teams to have a chance at making the playoffs.

“It’s a region game, so it means everything,” said Northridge head coach Michael Vickery. “Every region game we play is the biggest game of the year.”

The game was scoreless until late in the first quarter when Northridge’s Stevan Fairburn took a quarterback keeper into the endzone, giving the Jaguars a 7-0 lead.

The Saints looked to answer back, as Kordez Irvin hit Pautavious Curtis with passes of 44 and 35 yards. Jonathan Pressley tried to punch it into the endzone but fumbled the ball. The Jaguars took advantage of the turnover with a 79-yard touchdown pass from Noah Buettner to Calvin Street, giving them a 14-0 lead.

Selma lined up to punt the ball away on their first possession of the secod half, but the snap was bobbled, and the Jaguars pounced on it. Three plays later Buettner found Ronnie Newton from 12 yards out for a touchdown making the lead 21-0.

Irvin found Curtis at mid-field, but Northridge’s Jimmy Anderson forced a fumble and recovered it. It was his third turnover of the night after picking off Irvin twice.

“Anderson is one of our senior leaders,” Vickery said. “He’s one of the two or three guys that we have that played on Friday night’s last year, and he’s a great kid makes a lot of big plays for us. He had a great night tonight.”

Northridge scored their final touchdown of the night on their next drive. Fairburn hit Street on a 58-yard pass and ran it in two plays later to go up 28-0.

Selma’s offense found a spark late in the third, but it was little too late. Freshman Tyreshon Freeman replaced an injured Irvin and found Charles Black for the Saints’ lone score of the night, making it 28-6.

“We need a lot more focus,” Handley said. “I think having success last week kind of gave us the big head a little bit, and it showed up in practice and we had to correct a few things.”

Selma will face Brookwood next week on the road.