SJCS Varsity Opens Region Play With Victory at Ware Shoals

Six different players scored touchdowns, and the SJCS Varsity football team cruised to a 61-12 victory at Ware Shoals on Friday night.

The Knights, No. 2 in the state in Class 1A, amassed 437 total yards -- including 331 yards rushing (11.4 per attempt) -- and improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in Region 1.

The SJCS defense turned in another stellar performance, limiting the Hornets (1-3, 0-1) to just 146 yards (37 rushing, 1.4 per attempt).

The defense also recorded the first touchdown of the night, when Hayden Courchaine blocked a punt and Chase Kennedy picked it up and ran 8 yards for a score. Brodie Martin's point-after kick made it 7-0.

The Knights added a touchdown run of 37 yards by Brayden Johnson and a 50-yard scoring pass from Cade Alt to Lucas Salgado before the end of the first quarter. With two more Martin PATs, St. Joe's led 21-0 after the first 12 minutes.

Johnson, who rushed for 131 yards on 12 carries, scored on runs of 29 and 10 yards in the second quarter. He has 14 touchdowns through the first five games. Salgado, who rushed for 72 yards on just four attempts, scored on a 32-yard run in the second quarter, which ended with the Knights ahead 42-6.

St. Joe's added touchdown runs of 44 yards by Michael Poinsette, 5 by Collins Langdon and 42 by Jackson Campbell in the second half. The Knights have outscored their opponents 218-32.

Johnny Jaraczewski, who had a team-high 11 tackles, had five of the Knights' 10 tackles for loss and two of the six sacks. Walker Wolfram had six tackles and three tackles for loss.

Gabe Nelson and Hayden Courchaine each had a tackle for loss. Jack Flynn had a pair of sacks, and Walker Jones and Hammond Fayssoux each had one. Tradd Coulter had an interception for the second game in a row, and Langdon recovered a fumble.

This Friday, St. Joe's will host Southside Christian in a key region game at 7:30 PM. The last meeting between the teams resulted in the Knights' thrilling, come-from-behind 29-28 overtime victory in the second round of last year's playoffs.

SJCS 61 WARE SHOALS 12

SJCS  21 - 21 - 13 - 6 -- 61
WS       0 -   6 -   0 -  6 -- 12

First Quarter

SJ-Charles Kennedy 8 blocked punt return (Brodie Martin kick)
SJ-Brayden Johnson 37 run (Martin kick)
SJ-Lucas Salgado 50 pass from Cade Alt (Martin kick)

Second Quarter

SJ-Salgado 32 run (Martin kick)
WS-Jayce Medlin 25 pass from Jasir Farhan (run failed)
SJ-Johnson 29 run (Martin kick)
SJ-Johnson 10 run (Martin kick)

Third Quarter

J-Michael Poinsette 44 run (kick failed)
SJ-Collins Langdon 5 run (Martin kick)

Fourth Quarter

WS-Jace Stewart 4 run (run failed)
SJ-Jackson Campbell 42 run (kick failed)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: SJ-Brayden Johnson 12-131, Lucas Salgado 4-72, Michael Poinsette 4-58, Jackson Campbell 1-42, Collins Langdon 3-17, Nathaniel Coffi 1-13, Jack Stewart 1-12.

PASSING: SJ-Alt 2-4-1  106.

RECEIVING: SJ-Gabe Nelson 1-56, Salgado 1-50.

TACKLES (Solo-Assists-TFL): SJ-Johnny Jaraczewski 11-0-5, Walker Wolfram 6-0-3, Langdon 5-0-0, Jackson Campbell 4-0-0, Nelson 4-0-1, Jack Flynn 3-0-0, Salgado 2-0-0, Chase Kennedy 2-0-0, Brendan Alvis 2-0-0, Hayes Roberts 2-0-0, Mac Winburn 2-0-0, Brogan Poole 2-0-0, Jackson Farrar 2-0-0, Walker Jones 2-0-0, Garrett Greer 2-0-0, Peter Norman 1-0-0, Hayden Courchaine 1-0-1.