Cedar Grove quarterback Kendall Boney (7) stretches out for a Saints’ touchdown in the second quarter. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A collision of Class 3A Top 5 ranked teams turned into a train wreck as Kendall Boney threw three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the No. 2 ranked Cedar Grove Saints to a 55-0 victory over the No. 5 Benedictine Cadets at Savannah State University’s T.A. Wright Stadium on Friday night in Savannah.
Boney had given the Saints a 7-0 lead with 12.6 seconds left in the first quarter as he connected with Jadon Haselwood on a five-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal. Luis Dominguez added the PAT.
Cedar Grove (12-1) put together three scoring drives in the final 5:36 of the first half to take a 28-0 lead into halftime.
Boney set up his second touchdown pass of the night after scrambling for 13 yards and Benedictine picked up a personal foul on the play to put the Saints at the Cadets’ nine-yard line with a first and goal. He then hit Haselwood who had crossed the formation and turned up field for the touchdown. Dominguez was good again on the PAT for the 14-0 lead with 5:36 left in the half.
The Saints defense which had 12 tackles for a loss, including 4 sacks, stopped a fake punt attempt by the Cadets three yards shy of the marker to take possession for another scoring drive. The big play in the drive was a nice run down the middle of the field by Chavon Wright for 33 yards. Four plays later Boney took the ball the final six yards, stretching it over the goal line for the score. Dominguez hit the kick again to make it 21-0 with 2:06 to play in the first half.
Benedictine’s next drive ended badly as Cedar Grove defensive back Tee Denson stepped in front of a pass and returned it 20 yards to the Cadets’ 31 to give the Saints another scoring opportunity with 48.3 seconds left in the second quarter.
Facing a third down and five, Boney dropped back and lofted a pass towards the back of the end zone where tight end Montre Montfort went up for the catch and then got his feet in just inside the back line for the touchdown. Dominguez’s kick sent the Saints into the locker room with a 28-0 lead.
Cedar Grove defensive end Dante Walker (12) pickes up one of the Saints’ tackles for a loss against Benedictine in their Class 3A quarterfinal clash. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A fourth sack of Benedictine quarterback Carter Geriner ended the Cadets’ first possession of the second half and a short punt gave the Saints the ball at the Benedictine 45.
Rashad Dubinion set up his two-yard touchdown run with runs of 22 and 16 yards to get the Saints out of a first and 24 situation following a holding call on a run by Boney. Dominguez connected on the point after again to make it 35-0 with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
A bad snap almost led to a blocked punt, but the kick only went four yards as the Benedictine punter hurried to get the kick off. The play gave Cedar Grove the ball at the Cadets’ 40-yard line. It took the Saints just one play to add to the lead as Chavon Wright (9 carries, 109 yards) went 40 yards for the score. Dominguez was good again to make it a 42-0 game with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter.
Benedictine had just six first downs and 90 yards of total offense on 11 possessions against the Saints and the next possession was another three and out for the Saints’ defense. The punt was short and bounced down the field where Haselwood scooped up the ball and started up the left sideline, breaking a tackle and faking another defender to race 80 yards for the touchdown. Justin Minitee kicked the PAT to make it 49-0 with 2:02 remaining in the third quarter.
Mekhi Gilstrap scored on an eight-yard run with 10:55 to play to make the final of 55-0. The Saints finished with 438 yards of total offense (280 rushing, 158 passing). The shutout of was the seventh of the season by the Saints’ defense.
Cedar Grove moves into the Class 3A Final Four for the fourth consecutive season. A trip to “the Benz” will be at stake on Friday as the Saints (12-1) host the undefeated and No. 9 ranked Pierce County Bears (13-0) at “Buck” Godfrey Stadium at 7:30 pm. The Bears knocked off No. 3 ranked Monroe Area 24-7 last Friday to move into the state semifinals.
DCSD FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS RESULTS
Friday, Nov. 23
Class 3A Quarterfinals at Savannah State
Cedar Grove (12-1) 55, Benedictine (11-2) 0
DCSD FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 30
Class 3A Semifinals
Pierce County (13-0) vs. Cedar Grove (12-1), Godfrey Stadium 7:30 pm