Sat. November 19, 2011 at 12:15 a.m. | By Richard Burton
Sat. November 19, 2011 at 12:15 a.m. | By Richard Burton
LAKELAND — It was only fitting that senior tailback Calib Alexander capped the biggest win in St. John Lutheran football history.
Alexander, who earlier in the game set single-season Marion County records rushing yards and total touchdowns, scored on a 10-yard run and added the game-winning two-point conversion as the Saints earned their first-ever postseason win, 28-26, over Lakeland Victory Christian in the Region 2A-2 semifinals on Friday at Lake Gibson High School.
"We wanted it more (than Victory Christian) did and we wanted another shot at Warner Christian," said Alexander, who finished with 159 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. "(The overtime) was crazy. It feels great to win."
With the win, St. John will visit Warner Christian, a three-time Class 1B state runner-up, on Friday night in the Region 1A-2 final. Warner Christian beat St. John earlier this season, 48-25, at Brick City Park.
Victory Christian (8-3), which forced overtime on a 69-yard scramble for a score by quarterback Demitre Brim (18 carries, 189 yards) and ensuing two-point conversion run by Chris Nelson off a muddle-huddle snap with 1:05 left, couldn't contain the Saints when it counted.
The Storm got the ball first in overtime and went up 26-20 on Brim's 8-yard scoring pass to Sa'vaunn Bond, but Nelson was stopped on the two-point attempt.
The Saints (9-2) went right to Alexander, who scored the game tying touchdown on a sweep on his team's first play.
From there, Alexander took an option pitch and made it into the end zone on the left side, setting up a celebration for the Saints.
From there, Alexander took an option pitch and made it into the end zone on the left side, setting up a celebration for the Saints.
"I'm proud of the kids," St. John coach Dennis Meunier said. "They played this one all the way through."
Alexander's records and a 72-yard kickoff return by Jamonte Jones were the story for the first part of the game until Brim's heroics brought the Storm back.
Entering the game, Alexander needed 70 yards and one touchdown to become the area's all-time leader in both marks. He also needed 90 yards to pass former Forest/Vanguard running back Roosevelt Ross for second-place on the all-time area career rushing list.
He got the touchdown mark on a 36-yard run at the 6:40 mark of the second quarter, one play after Victory lost the ball on a fumble.
The touchdown was his 36th on the season, enabling him to break a tie with former North Marion standout Albert Gary, who scored 35 times in 2007 and is currently playing at Iowa State University.
Jones added a two-point conversion and the Saints had their first lead of the game at 8-6.
Alexander then took care of the area's all-time single season rushing mark and also passed Ross on his next carry.
Needing just seven yards to pass former Dunnellon standout Alvin Young's single-season area mark of 2,217 yards rushing set in 1977, Alexander broke off a nifty 74-yard scoring run in which he broke several tackles and got stellar blocking on all levels from his teammates.
"It's been the offensive line and they've been great all year," Alexander said. "They don't get much credit, but they have done great. On the (record- breaking run for the total yards), there were a lot of downfield blocks that made a big difference.
"We've been together for three years in the playoffs (the first two in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference) and we've got great chemistry."
Alexander now has unofficial totals of 2,306 yards rushing and 38 touchdowns for the season, and 4,913 yards for his career.
After Victory pulled to within 14-12, Jones ran back the ensuing kickoff for a score and the Saints led 20-12 with 31.2 seconds left in the third quarter.
