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8/27/06-Football
St. Mary's takes advantage of King's turnovers
Mike Scott / Special to the Detroit News
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Despite returning two kickoffs for touchdowns on the road Saturday afternoon, Detroit Martin Luther King was never really in its game with Orchard Lake St. Mary's.
The Crusaders amassed more yards on those two kickoff returns than they did from scrimmage in a 34-18 loss to the Eaglets in the season opener for both teams in Orchard Lake.
King didn't help its cause, committing five turnovers and spotting the host Eaglets a 14-0 lead nine minutes into the contest.
Dominique White rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and Blair Hollis scored twice and finished with 62 yards on the ground for St. Mary's (1-0). Quarterback Justin Siller ran for 45 yards and two touchdowns as well.
Darrin Williams led King with 51 yards rushing. Quarterback Jerrel Noland was 11-of-26 for 137 yards but most of his completions came after the game had already been decided.
“Our defense played well and we made some good plays but we really need to work on special teams and offensive balance," St. Mary's head coach George Porritt said.
St. Mary's took early control with two impressive drives covering a combined 120 yards. Hollis ran 13 yards for a touchdown four minutes into the first quarter and Siller completed a 51-yard, five-play drive on a nine-yard scamper with 2:41 left for a 14-0 Eaglets lead.
King appeared to grab hold of momentum after the Eaglets came up with a Dionte Allen interception that was returned to the Crusaders 16-yard line. St. Mary's ended up missing a field goal but King still couldn't convert a first down, and a few minutes later Dominique White's 48-yard run gave St. Mary's a 21-0 lead.
Williams followed with a 94-yard kickoff return for King midway through the second quarter. At that point the Crusaders still had managed just 13 total yards and no first downs.
That changed when King drove 96 yards in nine plays only to turn the ball over for the fourth time in the first half when Noland's pass was intercepted and returned 80 yards by linebacker Laurence Treadway with 26 seconds to play in the first half. Siller took the next snap 21 yards for his second score of the game and a commanding 28-6 lead for the Eaglets.
Despite King's long second quarter drive, the Crusaders killed themselves with those four turnovers and six more penalties, which didn't please head coach James Reynolds.
“You have to score in that situation (at the end of the first half),” Reynolds said.
Donovan Dickerson began the second half with a 96-yard kickoff return for King but again St. Mary's answered, this time with a 58-yard drive that chewed up more than five minutes of the third quarter. Hollis scored his second touchdown on a 12-yard run for a 34-12 lead.
Chris Greenwood added a late touchdown reception for the Crusaders.
Siller said his offensive line was able to control the line of scrimmage forom the start, making his job easier.
“We had some big holes but I need to do a better job delivering the ball in the passing game," Siller said.
Porritt expects next week's game at Grand Ledge to be another challenge as the Eaglets take on one of the toughest schedules in the state this regular season.
“(Grand Ledge) has won a state championship within the past few years and they traditionally are a big, physical football team,” Porritt said. “We are on the road so we'd better improve a whole lot in the next six days.”
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