The visiting St. Andrew’s Saints looked as good as their 7-0record indicated Friday night. Despite a light drizzle on alreadyrain-soaked William E. “Sambo” Smith Field, the Saints produced a37-12 Region 6-2A win over the Loyd Star Hornets duringhomecoming.

St. Andrew’s improved to 2-0 in the region while Loyd Star fellto 0-2 in region play and 3-4 on the season.

“St. Andrew’s is very good,” said Loyd Star head coach WadeHenderson after the game. “Coach (David) Bradberry does a good jobwith them. Their quarterback (Conway Craig) and running back(Bradford Blackmon) are sophomores. Blackmon came out and ran theball.”

Blackmon (5-9, 150 pounds) didn’t let the wet field slow himdown. He carried the football 19 times for 132 yards and atouchdown. Alan Landrum, a 5-foot-8, 190-pound senior, followedwith 13 carries for 46 yards and 3 touchdowns.

“We played hard and we got after them,” said Bradberry. “They(Loyd Star) came after us. It was a hard-fought game.”

Loyd Star junior fullback Michael Britt led the Loyd Star groundgame with 10 carries for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The wet field condition didn’t help either team. The Hornetslost 5 of 6 turnovers and the Saints lost all 3.

St. Andrew’s recovered Loyd Star’s fumble on the opening kickoffto set up a 3-play, 23-yard touchdown drive. Blackmon plunged overthe middle for the score. Martin Edwards kicked his first of 5extra points to give the Saints a 7-0 lead at the 10:41 mark.

The Saints added two more points on a safety at the 7:18 mark topush their lead to 9-0.

With 4:12 left in the first quarter, St. Andrew’s recovered aLoyd Star fumble at the Hornet 6-yard line. Three plays later,Landrum scooted past the left end for the TD and a 16-0 lead.

Loyd Star answered back with an 8-play, 66-yard drive,highlighted by a 39-yard burst by Britt up the middle. Britt scoredon a 10-yard plunge with 21 seconds remaining. The try for 2 pointsfailed and the Hornets trailed the Saints 16-6 at the end of thequarter.

St. Andrew’s marched 47 yards in 7 plays to score on a 18-yardpass-play from Craig to wide receiver Tye Menist. The Saints pushedtheir lead to 23-6 with 9:52 left in the second quarter.

Two plays later, Loyd Star quarterback Jarred Rogers had hispass picked off by St. Andrew’s Lee Smith at the 48. The Hornetdefense held and forced the Saints to punt with 7:07 remaining inthe first half.

The Hornets had the football again for only 2 plays when theSaints recovered a fumble at the Loyd Star 25. St. Andrew’s ran 5plays and scored on a 2-yard run by Landrum to give the Saints a30-6 advantage with 4:11 left in the first half.

Loyd Star scored its second and final TD in the third quarterwith 8:43 remaining. Hornet senior Juron Collins broke loose for a15-yard run that set up Britt’s big 55-yard touchdown run down theright side to cut the deficit to 30-12.

On St. Andrew’s next drive, the Saints scored on a 5-yard carryby Landrum with 6:55 left in the third quarter.

“I was pleased with the guys not quitting,” added Henderson. “Wehad a lot of young guys going both ways.”

Quarterback Justin Whatley and tailback Gary Johnson missed thegame due to knee injuries.

Defensively, Gaden Smith and Britt recovered afumble for Loyd Star. For St. Andrew’s, Blackmon intercepted 2passes and Menist had one.

Loyd Star travels to Madison St. Joseph and St. Andrew’s hostsWesson Friday night in more region action.