Photo Credit Saultsports Clips
Under the lights at Superior Heights field on Friday, October 9, the St. Mary’s Knights delivered a strong performance against the Superior Heights Steelhawks, earning a 35-6 victory in Sault Ste. Marie Senior High School Football action on the Knights’ Homecoming evening.
The Knights controlled the game from the opening quarter, building a commanding lead through a combination of explosive rushing plays, passing touchdowns and a reliable kicking game. Superior Heights battled throughout the contest and finally found the end zone in the closing seconds, but St. Mary’s had already established control in the Week 5 matchup.
St. Mary’s opened the scoring at 7:46 of the first quarter when Hunter Jackson broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run. Grayson Giordano added the extra point to give the Knights an early 7-0 advantage.
The Knights continued to apply pressure on the Steelhawks, who conceded a safety at the 5:50 mark of the opening quarter to extend the St. Mary’s lead to 9-0.
With 2:35 remaining in the first quarter, Jackson struck again. The Knights’ running back evaded a tackle and powered his way into the end zone on a 13-yard touchdown carry, recording his second major of the game. Giordano converted the extra point to put St. Mary’s ahead 16-0 heading into the second quarter.
The Knights continued their offensive attack in the second quarter. At 11:11, quarterback Aaron Juma connected with Adam Provenzano on a four-yard pass, with Provenzano turning the play into a 16-yard touchdown major. Giordano once again found the uprights on the extra point, extending the Knights’ advantage to 23-0.
Giordano added to the scoring at the four-minute mark of the second quarter, converting a 19-yard field goal to increase the St. Mary’s lead to 26-0.
The Knights delivered one more scoring play before halftime. With just eight seconds remaining in the half, Juma found Charles McInnis with a two-yard touchdown pass into the Steelhawks’ end zone. Giordano completed the extra-point attempt, sending St. Mary’s into the break with a commanding 33-0 lead.
Superior Heights continued to compete after halftime, but the Knights’ defence remained difficult to penetrate. At 5:40 of the third quarter, St. Mary’s recorded a safety by tackling a Steelhawks offensive player in the end zone, adding two more points to the Knights’ total and extending the lead to 35-0.
The Steelhawks continued searching for a breakthrough, and their persistence finally paid off in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter.
With just 5.5 seconds remaining in Friday’s Week 5 contest, Superior Heights’ Ty Cond broke through the Knights’ defensive line from the one-yard line and reached the end zone for the Steelhawks’ lone touchdown of the evening.
The late major put Superior Heights on the scoreboard, bringing the final score to St. Mary’s Knights 35, Superior Heights Steelhawks 6.
The victory capped off a successful Homecoming evening for the Knights, who relied on a balanced offensive performance and a strong defensive effort to secure the win. Jackson provided an early spark with two rushing touchdowns, while Juma connected with Provenzano and McInnis for additional majors. Giordano also played a key role, contributing multiple extra points and a field goal.
The Steelhawks will now turn their attention to their final regular-season contest against the Korah Colts on Thursday, October 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. as Superior Heights looks to close out its regular season on a positive note.
Meanwhile, the Knights will await confirmation of their opponent for the Senior High School Football semifinal, scheduled for Friday, October 23, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
With the regular season nearing its conclusion, St. Mary’s will look to carry the momentum from its Homecoming victory into the postseason, while the Steelhawks prepare for one final regular-season opportunity.
