Ezra Sexton rushed for two touchdowns and Josh Murphy threw three scoring passes as St. Michael defeated Elberta 45-21 in Fairhope on Friday night.
The Cardinals (4-1) led 31-7 at halftime after Elberta scored on a Hunter Powers’ touchdown pass to Nicholas Thrift with one second left.
However, St. Michael already had built a substantial lead.
Sexton’s first touchdown came on a 15-yard run with 7:48 left in the first. Murphy followed with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Caron, then threw scoring passes to Arrington Faiupu and Micah Farrell.
Elberta (1-5) rallied in the third quarter, finishing a 15-play, 60-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Powers. Two plays later, Murphy was picked off by Jason Sims, who took it back 50 yards to get to 31-21. After Justin Helper intercepted Powers, Sexton took it in from a yard out on his seventh carry of the drive to put the Cardinals up 38-21.
With 30 seconds left in the game, after a pass interference call on the Cardinals, St. Michael’s Austin Maloney returned an interception for a touchdown to set the final score.
Star of the game: Sexton was everywhere, recovering a botched Elberta punt to set up a touchdown pass on the next play from Murphy to Caron, while scoring two rushing touchdowns and kicking a field goal.
Play of the game: Sexton recovered a botched punt that set up the Cardinals on the Elberta 16. On the next play, Murphy threw his first of three touchdown passes, this one to Caron, to put the Cardinals up 14-0.
Stat sheet: St. Michael - Murphy went 17-for-28 for 205 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Sexton had 17 carries for 102 yards with two rushing touchdowns.
Elberta - Powers was 18-for-34 for 171 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran 14 times for 67 yards and a score. Thrift had 13 carries for 56 yards and three catches for 16 yards, including the 8-yard touchdown pass to put the Warriors on the board.
By the numbers: 5 - both teams had five penalties on the night. The Cardinals were hit for 45 yards, the Warriors for 35. ... 362-301, the Cardinals outgained the Warriors for the game, 127-108 in the second half, running 34 plays to the Warriors 22 … 17 - St. Michael had more first downs in the game, compared to 12 for Elberta. … 4- turnovers in the game. Both teams were picked off twice,
Coachspeak: “Great first half other than the last drive.”- St. Michael head coach Philip Rivers
Next week: St. Michael resumes region action on the road at W.S. Neal. Elberta continues in region play Oct. 7 at home against LeFlore.
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