Knights Fall to Patriots, Face MVP in 1st Round

Having closed the season with a loss against Powdersville, the No. 9 team in the state in Class 3A, the SJCS Varsity will next take on No. 7 Mountain View Prep.

Powdersville, the Region 2 champion, defeated the host Knights 48-31 on Friday in the teams' final regular-season game.

St. Joe's (5-5, 2-3), seeded fourth in the region and No. 12 in the Upper State, will open the playoffs at home against MVP (9-1), the runner-up in Region 3 and No. 5 in the Upper State.

MVP defeated the Knights 66-27 on September 5 at Younts Stadium on the campus of North Greenville University, the site of the Stars' home games during the regular season. However, because MVP does not have its own home field and is unable to use NGU's facility, St. Joe's will serve as the host team.

CLASS 3A FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET

Against Powdersville, the Knights fell behind 7-0 and then went on top 14-7 with the help of a pair of big plays.

First, facing a third-and-10 from the St. Joe's 32-yard line, Jack Stewart connected with Sam Patterson just beyond midfield. Patterson broke away from a defender and made a dash for the end zone, completing a 68-yard play for a touchdown. Luka Kucinic's kick tied the score at 7-7.

Then Brodie Martin made a big hit to break up a pass, and Eliot Power alertly grabbed the ball out of the air and returned the interception 77 yards for a touchdown. Kucinic's kick put the Knights ahead 14-7 midway through the first quarter.
 

That was the last score of the half for the Knights. The Patriots scored 28 straight points, including a touchdown with 6.2 seconds left in the second quarter that gave Powdersville a 35-14 lead at halftime.

St. Joe's tried an onside kick to start the second half, but it was short. Powdersville capitalized with a quick touchdown drive to make it 41-14.

Late in the third quarter, Stewart threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Vine Stanton. When Kucinic then recovered his own onside kick, the Knights were able to strike again.

On fourth-and-one from the Patriots' 22, Patterson took a pitching running to his right and sprinted for a touchdown. With Kucinic capping a 4-for-4 night on point-after kicks, the Knights were within 41-28 with 7:41 remaining.

And they recovered another onside kick, this time at the Powdersville 49. However, they turned the ball over on downs, and the Patriots added another touchdown.

Kucinic kicked a 42-yard field goal with 6.2 seconds left to make the final 48-31.

Stanton led the Knights with 10 tackles, and Martin had seven and a tackle for loss. Stanton and Power each had a sack.

FOOTBALL PHOTO GALLERY

• It was Senior Night and before the game, seniors from the following were recognized:

Football: Jackson Campbell, Luka Kucinic, Paul Norman, Eliot Power, Charlie Sanders, Vine Stanton

Cheerleading: Mollie Mendelson

Pep Band: Greycen Baker, Jonathan Kissel

SENIOR NIGHT PHOTO GALLERY

POWDERSVILLE 48, SJCS 31

PHS    21 - 14 - 6 -  7 -- 48
SJ       14 -   0 - 7 -10 -- 31

First Quarter

P-Nasir Waldrop 28 run (Ethan Piel kick)
SJ-Sam Patterson 68 pass from Jack Stewart (Luka Kucinic kick)
SJ-Eliot Power 77 interception return (Kucinic kick)
P-Waldrop 63 run (Piel kick)
P-Kiegan Reid 1 run (Piel kick)

Second Quarter

P-Bennett Brooks 37 pass from Reid (Piel kick)
P-Reid 1 run (Piel kick)

Third Quarter

P-Xavier Huggins 25 pass from Reid (kick failed)
SJ-Vine Stanton 6 pass from Stewart (Kucinic kick)

Fourth Quarter

SJ-Patterson 22 run (Kucinic kick)
P-2 run (Piel kick)
SJ-Kucinic 42 FG

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: SJ-Josh Lyons 11-62, Sam Patterson 15-55, Jack Stewart 8-26, Mayson Ludolph 11-26, Paul Norman 1-22, Vine Stanton 3-20, Jackson Campbell 1-5.

PASSING: SJ-Stewart 4-10-2 96.

RECEIVING: SJ-Patterson 2-90, Stanton 1-6, Norman 1-0.

TACKLES: SJ-Stanton 10, Brodie Martin 7, Lyons 5, Campbell 4, Jensen Granger 4, Jay Sanders 4, Sam Covington 4, Eliot Power 3, Ludolph 3, Scoville 3, Patterson 2, Nick Passerrello 2, Charlie Sanders 2, Drew Stipes 2, Clyde Williams 1.
*Stanton and Power each had a sack.
**Martin had a TFL.