By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Selma led 19-0, but it had already scored an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown.

That’s just the kind of night it was as the Selma Saints (5-5) put together a complete performance to shutout the Ellwood Christian Eagles (3-7) 46-0 Friday at Memorial Stadium in both teams’ season finales.

“We left a lot of opportunities out there for us this year,” Ellwood head coach Trey Pike said.

“We just didn’t close the door when we had opportunities. It is what it is.”

The Saints took advantage of some of those opportunities, scoring on their first defensive play of the game and their last.

After Ellwood’s offense took over on a turnover on downs on its own 7-yard line, Selma’s defense forced a fumble. Witney Gunn fell on the ball in the end zone to give Selma a 6-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

The Eagles were forced to punt on their next possession, and Quentavious Davis took a punt return 70 yards for Selma’s second touchdown of the game.

“Having that punt return for a touchdown, that was exciting to see him get that early in the game. That stands out big,” Selma head coach Leroy Miles said.

The Saints’ offense got its first score of the game when DeAndrae Alexander caught a 21-yard touchdown to give Selma a 19-0 lead with 3:34 remaining in the first quarter.

Ellwood’s defense forced an interception with 2:33 left in the second quarter, but fumbled away the ball on the same play. Lekedrich Rogers took advantage of the turnover, running a 4-yard touchdown to put Selma up 26-0 at the half.

The Eagles fumbled the snap on a punt early in the third quarter on their own 20-yard line. Aderick Moore capitalized with a 2-yard run, and he caught the two-point conversion from Marquell Moorer to put Selma up 34-0.

Moore, a linebacker, isn’t best known for carrying the ball out of the backfield, but he was one of a number of seniors who got the chance to run the ball during Selma’s senior night. All in all, 19 Selma players ran the ball against Ellwood.

Allen King ran a 20-yard touchdown to give Selma a 40-0 lead. After Ellwood’s defense forced a turnover on downs late in the game, the Eagles’ offense had one more chance to put together a drive.

Tre’Derin Phillips, an eighth grader at R.B. Hudson, put an end to both team’s seasons when he picked off a pass and ran it 25 yards for a touchdown as time expired to complete the shutout for the Saints.

“It was good that he could get a touch on it and get in the end zone, so he’s excited about it, so that was good for him,” Miles said.

The Saints players celebrated after the game, as they salvaged a season in which they missed the playoffs into a .500 season.

Despite a tough finish to the season, Pike is also optimistic about his Eagles’ team moving forward.

“We’ve just got to hit the offseason running and get better for next year,” Pike said. “We have a lot of very young talent coming in the future.”