Box Score

BOX SCORE

WHITING -- It was a night of firsts for everyone in the Midwest Sprint Football league Saturday.
The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods sprint football team took the field for the first time at Roy P. Gallivan Stadium and left with a variety of firsts for the inaugural team. But most importantly, the Pomeroys left with their first win, a resilient 34-28 overtime triumph over Calumet College of St. Joseph in the battle for supremacy among the two Hoosier state programs in the MSFL. 
The SMWC defense allowed CCSJ just one first down and 50 yards from scrimmage in a dominant second half. Hunter Cardwell (Woodbridge, Va./Surge Academy) and Trey Jackson (Valdosta, Ga./Brooks County) led the way, with Cardwell getting five tackles-for-loss and Jackson three of his team-high 10 tackles coming behind the line of scrimmage. Monte May had eight tackles and an in interception, while Jake Skinner (Sullivan, Ind./Sullivan) also had seven tackles.
"We give up 28 in the first half and give up some big plays… Then we come out in the second half and I don't think [the Crimson Wave] had a first down. That's playing with heart and made some adjustments. Great job by our defensive staff, coach McLaren," Powell said. "I'm just proud of everybody. It was definitely a total team effort."
Corey Miller (Clinton, Ind./South Vermillion) scored the first ever SMWC touchdown, working himself wide open and hauling in the pass from Brennon Landry (New Iberia, La./Westgate) after the Pomeroys fell behind 14-0 after the first quarter.
Still, the Pomeroys found themselves in their first three-touchdown deficit for the first time after Jonathan Flemings ran nine yards for a score and then 45 yards to paydirt to put the home team ahead 28-8.
Landry led a 5-play, 75-yard drive over 2 minutes, 18 seconds and delivered a TD to Devron Johnson (Glen Burnie, Md./Mt. Hebron) with 12 seconds to go in the first half, and the Pomeroys carried that momentum into a dominant second half on their way to the program's first victory.
Running back Patrick Perea (Amarillo, Texas/Randall) was the first Pomeroy over 100 yards from scrimmage. He grinded out 60 yards on the ground and caught four passes for 114 yards, which included a sideline sprint for a 67 yard TD that helped jumpstart the second half.
Perea also completed the comeback, tying the score with a two-point conversion catch that essentially sent the game to overtime with 22 seconds remaining in regulation.
"Patrick's a warrior. He just kept playing," Powell said. "He played so hard tonight and made so many big plays. You take your hat off to him. The kid loves it. With Kerry [Lacey] going down [with an injury], we were down to one running back basically."
The Pomeroys also lost Landry to injury, but Brian Marrell picked up where Landry started on the ground and through the air. Marrell finished 14 for 22 for 188 yards, three touchdowns through the air to go with 44 yards on five carries. Landry was 13 for 23 for 152 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in addition to his 57 yards on the ground.
"Brennon's a really good player. It was a big team effort by everyone," Marrell said.
Marrell's third touchdown proved to be the game-winner and it was the introductory touchdown for Andrece Miller (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South). The 6-foot-2 freshman went up high over the defender to haul in the pass from Marrell on fourth down from the 3-yard line in overtime.
"It feels really good coming out of high school, people said I wouldn't make it. Pomeroy Nation let's ride. I'm ready to go on to the next game," said Miller, who caught eight passes for 59 yards.
Carlos Munoz also added six catches for 46 yards, and like Miller, caught a clutch TD. His score with 22 seconds left in regulation made the victory possible.
The offense racked up 524 total yards, including 340 through the air, but the Pomeroys' defense flying around together helped make it a first night to remember.
We just had to fix a couple things and stay on our keys. We came back and shut 'em down," Skinner said. "I'm really happy with this team and really proud. I love all these guys."

Next
SMWC faces Quincy next Saturday at Jay Barrett Field at West Vigo High School. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at bit.ly/smwcsprintfb.