Patriot defense saves the day against Saints

Linden – After taking a 14-0 lead late in the first half, the Patriots had to answer a score, then pick off two passes in the final three and a half minutes to secure a win over the Selma Saints. Graderius Brown and Kevin Green intercepted passes in or near the end zone on consecutive Selma possessions to help hold off the Saints comeback attempt.

Neither team could muster any momentum in a penalty-laced first quarter that saw the Saints lose two fumbles and the Patriots lose one fumble. The first quarter ended scoreless.

The second quarter looked to be much the same until the Patriots converted a 3rd-and-18 with a 32-yard pass play that put the Patriots on the Saints’ 36-yard line. A couple plays later, Brown would hit Doug Johnson on a swing pass and Johnson would do the rest with his legs. The 32-yard scoring play came with 6:50 to go in the second quarter and the successful 2-point conversion would give the Patriots the lead at 8-0.

The Patriot defense held on a fourth down attempt by the Saints on the following possession and the Patriots took over at their own 25-yard line. With 1:56 to go in the first half, Brown hit Green in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown strike. The 2-point attempt failed, leaving the Patriots with a 14-0 lead. Linden would force a Selma punt on the Saints’ ensuing possession, then take a knee with 15 seconds to go in the half to run out the clock.

The Saints came out with purpose in the second half. After receiving the kickoff, the Saints marched the field and scored with 9:48 to go in the third quarter. A successful 2-point conversion closed the Patriot lead to 14-8.

After both teams turned the ball over on downs on successive possessions, the Patriots were forced to punt. The Patriots recovered a Saint fumble. On the last play of the third quarter, Brown broke several tackles and raced in from 35 yards out as the horn sounded. The 2-point try failed and the Patriots took a 20-8 lead into the fourth quarter.

Less than two minutes later, the Saints struck on a long touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion closed the Patriots lead to 20-16 with 10:48 to go in the game.

After a Patriot punt on the ensuing possession, the Saints were set to go for it on 4th & 6 from the Patriots 25. Brown was on the sideline and looked to be trying to run out a cramp. Coaches called for Brown and, as he was running onto the field, someone yelled “just one play” from the sideline. Brown promptly picked off a Saints’ pass in the end zone and returned it to the 12-yard line with 3:09 to go in the game.

The Saints’ defense held and forced the Patriots to punt with 1:22 to go in the game. With under a minute to go, the Saints reached the Patriots’ 35-yard line. On 3rd & 10, with 56 seconds to go, Brown tipped away a Saints’ pass at the 3-yard line. On the next play, Green picked off a Saints’ pass at the Patriots 7-yard line with 36 seconds left in the game. The Patriots would take a knee twice to run out the clock and notch the win.

“One thing we talked about at halftime, after we made our adjustments, they were a (AHSAA Class) 6A squad. They were laying the hat like a 6A squad,” head coach Demetrice Jackson said after the game. “It’s something we really needed. Our guys showed resiliency throughout the entire game.” Jackson added that it was a big game for his squad, beating a team from a higher classification with some big players. Jackson talked about matching the Saint’s intensity in the trenches. “Being able to match that intensity helped us be successful.”

Linden (5-0, 3-0) will travel to Tuscaloosa next week to take on Holy Spirit Catholic High School.