Selma High School defenders Jimmy Smith and Rod West stuffed Sidney tailback D’Angelo Surls on fourth and goal, propelling the Saints to a thrilling 19-13 overtime win on Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

With just over two minutes remaining, the Poets found themselves with a first-and-goal on the Saints’ 1-yard line.

Donald Steele, Connor Childers, Smith, Eric Martinear, Tommy Williams and Deundra Benjamin led the goal-line stand, turning back the Montgomery visitors on four straight tries.

“There was no doubt in my mind we would stop them. We worked on goal line defense all week and stopped it,” Selma High second-year coach Woodrow Lowe, Jr. said.

The Saints have won two in a row to improve to 2-2 on the season. Michael Miller’s 5-yard touchdown run on third down in overtime gave the Saints the winning score.

The Class 6A, Area 4 game was a defensive struggle early on as both defenses stymied offensive production in the first half.

Lanier quarterback Lamar Turner’s first-quarter sneak was the only score for a 7-0 half-time lead.

Big plays defined the second half as Miller took a handoff from junior quarterback Cajun Pritchett and ran 16 yards around the right end to put the Saints on the board. Donald Steele’s PAT at 7:04 of the third period tied the score at 7.

Pritchett, switching over from the defensive side of the ball, directed the Saints’ offense effectively all night. Early in the fourth quarter he connected with junior wideout Quinn Pernell for 13 yards on third-and-11. The two hooked up again on the next play, as Pernell took a hitch pass from Pritchett, shook off a defender and went 69 yards to put the Saints ahead 13-7 at the 11:18 mark. The PAT try failed.

The Poets, now 3-2 (2-1 area), wouldn’t wilt as senior speedster Bernard key took the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to tie the score at 13.

Lanier missed its extra point kick to set up the late-game heroics.

“We’ve been telling our kids for the past two years to just keep working hard, keeping believing and it will turn your way, and we believe that,” Lowe said.

West, Smith, Steele, Childers and Benjamin turned in stellar defensive performances on the night. Benjamin recorded two sacks, while Smith and Steele had one each and three tackles for losses. West and Robert Childers controlled the secondary.

The Saints seek to continue their winning ways next week when they host area opponent Lee-Montgomery.