Warriors strike with lightning to fizzle Indians

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

STE. GENEVIEVE — They could have stopped the game after three-and-a-half minutes, and the outcome would have been the same as the entire 48-minutes which was eventually played. The Valle Warriors had already scored three touchdowns and they would go on to win their Regional game with the Hayti Indians by a score of 69-18.

By the end of the first quarter, the Warriors had crossed the goal line seven times before the Indians made one trip with only 38 seconds left.

The game went sour for Hayti at the flip of the coin when they chose to receive the opening kickoff. The ball was fumbled by the Indians on its reception and Nolan Carrow fell on it at Hayti’s 31 to set up Valle’s first score. Three plays later, quarterback Michael Greminger ran the ball in from the four. Kevin Abts split the uprights with his kick, finishing the night 9-9 on extra points.

Greminger ran for three touchdowns and passed for another three. He left after one half of play with eight carries for 51 yards and was 8-15 for 122 yards passing.

Hayti handled the second kickoff a little better, but on their first play from scrimmage, linebacker Luke Uding made the first of Valle’s five picks and ran the ball back 27 yards for a second touchdown with only 36 seconds run off the clock from its start.

The Indians went three-and-out on their next possession as they could not find any running room past Valle’s defense. Hayti was only able to gain 51 yards on the ground and 116 yards passing.

It took Valle only eight plays to go 48 yards with Greminger hitting Uding for a 10-yard TD. A blocked punt by Daniel Cabral was recovered at Hayti’s 15 by Valle to set up the next score as Greminger found a wide open Geile in the end zone for six more on the very next play.

Michael Loida made an interception of a pass on Hayti’s next possession, but was ruled out of bounds. Hayti threw again on the very next play, and Christian Moulton got into the scoring mix with a 45-yard return of an interception.

It took only three more plays for Hayti before Nick Zerwig made his first of two straight interceptions for the Warriors. Both picks led to Valle scoring with Uding running the ball in from the 18 and Greminger hitting Geile for a two-yard TD pass.

Hayti marched the ball 88 yards on their very next possession with quarterback Dardan Balazi connecting on passes of 36 yards to Cortez Borders and 25 yards to Doriyon West before Keenan Williams ran the ball in from the one to make the quarter score 49-6. Hayti failed to convert any of their three two-point tries.

Hayti scored again halfway through the second quarter, and once more late in the half, but each time the Warriors answered back with another touchdown.

Nick Brown intercepted a pass late in the third quarter and Valle turned it into their last score with back-up quarterback Alex Stoll running the ball in from two.

Valle (11-0) had a total of 318 yards with Greminger, Uding and Stoll all running for 50 plus yards.

Valle will host Paris on Monday in the Class 1 Sectional Game.

Hayti  6  12  0  0 - 18

Valle  49  14  0  6 - 69

First Quarter:

Valle (0-7) Greminger 2 yd run (Abts kick), 11:39

Valle (0-14) Uding 27 yd interception (Abts kick), 11:24

Valle (0-21) Greminger 10 yd pass to Uding (Abts kick), 8:33

Valle (0-28) Greminger 15 yd pass to Geile (Abts kick), 6:58

Valle (0-35) Moulton 45 yd interception (Abts kick), 6:29

Valle (0-42) Uding 18 yd run (Abts kick), 5:03

Valle (0-49) Greminger 2 yd pass to Geile (Abts kick), 3:12

Hayti (6-49) Williams 1 yd run (2-pt failed), 0:38.3

Second Quarter:

Hayti (12-49) Humes 34 yd run (2-pt failed), 5:05

Valle (12-56) Greminger 2 yd run (Abts kick), 4:02

Hayti (18-56) Williams 3 yd run (2-pt failed), 3:30

Valle (8-63) Greminger 8 yd run (Abts kick), 1:06

Third Quarter:

No Score

Fourth Quarter:

Valle (18-69) Stoll 2 yd run (kick failed), 8:11