Offensive woes concern Selma

Published 12:29 am Wednesday, October 21, 2009

SELMA — For the first time in four weeks, the Selma Saints won’t be facing a ranked team.

Time to relax? Hardly.

The Saints welcome Wenonah for homecoming festivities at 7 Thursday night at Memorial Stadium. Selma will have to rebuild its offense after a 51-0 beating from Carver-Montgomery last week.

Email newsletter signup

Other than two injuries, the Saints come into the game healthy. Those two players, however, are the Nos. 1 and 2 quarterbacks.

“Darion Alexander injured his shoulder in the first half last week against Carver,” Coach Foster Davis said . “Starting quarterback Keaton Spears still has a mild concussion.”

The Saints will hand the ball over to Kendrick Woods (5-11, 165, Sr.) and Johnathan Harris (6-3, 206, Sr.) on offense.

Meanwhile, the Dragons — the No. 3 seed in the Class 5A Region 5 playoffs — bring in a running quarterback, two strong running backs and a tough wide receiver.

“They are an athletic team,” Davis said. “I think we can match up with them as far as size.”

Wenonah’s quarterback, Brandon Allen (6-1, 185, Sr.), has 472 yards rushing on the year. In the backfield is senior Cartez Pickett (5-10, 179) and senior Cortni Horn (5-7, 150), while Ryan Lewis (5-10, 160, Jr.) leads the team in receptions.

In last week’s 17-15 victory over Carver-Birmingham, Horn piled up 131 yards rushing, followed by Pickett with 99 and Allen with 80.

Davis, however, said Wenonah won the game with big plays.

“They don’t run anything fancy, the double wing and trips (receivers),” he said.

For Davis, though, the work has been on offense.

“We’ve been spending as much time on offense until it gets dark,” he said.