Photo By Michael AlexanderAtlanta
Blessed Trinity Titans and St. Pius Golden Lions clash in season opener
By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published August 23, 2018
ATLANTA—Blessed Trinity High School, Atlanta, went on the road to face St. Pius X High School, Aug. 18. With 7:11 remaining in the first quarter, Blessed Trinity was the first team to score when quarterback Jake Smith ran it in behind the team’s center from three yards out.
In the second quarter, with 5:48 left before the quarter expired, St. Pius was penalized for roughing Blessed Trinity kicker, Ethan Chauvin, during an attempted field goal.
Blessed Trinity was awarded the ball with a fresh set of downs, and three plays later they would make St. Pius pay, as running back Steele Chambers busted a run to the outside from the 17-yard-line, for his first touchdown of the game.
After the ensuing kickoff, St. Pius took over from its 20-yard-line with just over three minutes remaining in the second quarter. On the team’s first play from scrimmage, running back Michael Benefield outran the Blessed Trinity defense up the left sidelines for an 80-yard touchdown to put St. Pius on the scoreboard.
Blessed Trinity set up its final score of the first half with a 30-yard pass from Smith to wide receiver Quinton Reese, which put them down on the St. Pius 22-yard-line. From there Smith faked a handoff to Chambers and threw a touchdown pass to a streaking Chambers, who got behind the defense and into the end zone. Blessed Trinity took a 21-7 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, Chambers scored his second rushing touchdown of the game to give Blessed Trinity a 28-7 lead. As the third quarter was coming to a close, running back Elijah Green scored on a 41-yard touchdown run. Chauvin was a perfect 5 for 5 on his point after touchdown kicks.
Late in the fourth quarter St. Pius running back Cameron Cainion scored the team’s six final points on a 13-yard touchdown run. With that, Blessed Trinity defeated St. Pius 35-13 in the teams’ first game of the 2018 season.
Smith finished the game with 150 passing yards, completing 15 of his 20 attempted throws. Green was the team’s leading rusher with 109 yards on 17 carries.
St. Pius (0-1) remains home to take on Dunwoody High School (0-0), Aug. 24. Blessed Trinity (1-0) has its first home game of the season, Aug. 24, against South Forsyth High School (1-0).