ND wraps up district with 2-3 record

By Brad Greer
If  there is one thing football can not teach, it is speed and St. Joseph had plenty of that to go around as the No.3-ranked Fighting Irish handed North Delta a 53-0 loss in a District 1-AAA matchup Friday night at Green Wave Field.
With the loss, North Delta wrapped up its district slate with a 2-3 record and 3-5 overall while St. Joe improved to 6-2 on the season.
The Fighting Irish scored two touchdowns on its first four plays from scrimmage in the opening quarter before taking a 21-0 after one period then led 40-0 at intermission. The second half was played with a 12- minute running clock.
North Delta dove into its bag of tricks on the opening kickoff as Kaleb Joyner recovered a onside kick. The Green Wave drove the ball to St. Joe’s 35-yard line only to turn the ball over on downs.
St. Joe found paydirt on the second play from scrimmage as Jonathan Jordan raced 65 yards for the score to give the Irish a 6-0 lead after the failed point after. Following North Delta’s second series that ended in a quarterback sack, St. Joe quarterback Brice Johnson picked up his own bobbled snap from center and sped 68 yards to give the Irish a 14-0 lead with 7:14 remaining in the quarter.
Deandre Williams finished off the first quarter scoring for St. Joseph on a five-yard run with Payton Long adding the point after.
The second quarter was not much better for the Green Wave as St. Joe tacked on three more touchdowns on a pair of scoring strikes from Johnson to Tre’ Adams and E’darius Hendrix. Jordan added his second touchdown of the half on a nine-yard run at the 2:13 mark.
The Irish tacked on two more scores in the second half on a four- yard run by Clayton Hardwick and Adarlyn Price’s 17-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“Tonight we were in position to make some plays and we had a scheme that was tailor made for what they did, but we just seemed to be a step slow at about every position,” said North Delta head coach Brandon Ciaramitaro. “St. Joe has a very good football team and it showed tonight. The bottom line we were just out-talented tonight. Our guys played hard and played with passion. Our main focus right now is to regroup and get ready for Marshall next week. It is an old rivalry and plus it’s senior night so I am sure our guys will be ready,” said Ciaramitaro.
Joyner led North Delta in rushing with six carries for 18 yards while Luke Noah added two carries for six yards. C. J. Bickerstaff chipped in with three yards on two carries.
Quarterback Will Kidder ended the night 6-of-16 passing for 13 yards and one interception. Luke Daniels caught one pass for seven yards while John Haga Lewis and Joyner each had two receptions. Jimmy Manues caught one pass.
Bickerstaff and Christopher Williamson each had four tackles to lead North Delta on defense.