Wilson sets up showdown with Myrtle Beach after routing St. James
Wilson did what it could to keep pace with the Region VII-AAAA front-runners, cruising to a 34-14 win over outmanned St. James on Friday night.
Jacob Quillen passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns and Shrine Bowl selection Zion Keith had eight catches for 197 yards for Wilson.
“We can’t match speed giving up big balls to (Keith)… they’re just running right by us,” St. James coach Joey Price said. “It don’t matter if we play 90 yards off of them or are in their face. We get mismatched with speed and athleticism.”
The win keeps the Tigers (6-3 overall, 2-1 in Region VII-AAAA) in the hunt for a home playoff game in the first round. Myrtle Beach (5-4, 2-1) travels to Wilson on Thursday in a game that should decide second place in the region behind North Myrtle Beach, which topped Marlboro County on Friday to remain unbeaten.
St. James, which lost for the fourth straight week, travels to North Myrtle Beach next Friday.
Wilson got off to a fast start, going 51 yards in five plays keyed by a 35-yard completion from Quillen to Keith and capped by a 13-yard scoring pass to D.J. Fullard.
The Sharks responded with a 14-play, 70-yard drive and tied the game on a nine-yard run from Alex Holmes, but Wilson responded quickly when Shai’Quan ran the kickoff back untouched 95 yards to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead.
Quillen’s second scoring pass was a screen that Keith took 66 yards for a score. Quillen also caught Antwan Smith in stride for a 63-yard score in the third, and backup quarterback Zayshaun Rice connected with Keith on a 20-yard fade in the right corner in the fourth quarter.
The Sharks’ (2-7, 0-3) second touchdown came when Patrick Murphy recovered a muffed punt in the end zone in the second quarter.
Turning point
After a long scoring drive by St. James tied the score at 7-7, Shai’Quan Scott returned the ensuing kick 95 yards for a score to steal momentum back from the Sharks.
Key performers
Jacob Quillen, Wilson: Quillen was14-for-25 passing for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
Zion Keith, Wilson: Had eight catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns
Patrick Murphy, St. James: Had a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
By the numbers
497
Total passing yards for Tigers starting quarterback Jacob Quillen in his career vs. St. James. The senior threw for 250 yards in 2016 in his first start for Wilson.
230
Yards of total offense for St. James
They said it
“If we don’t get facilities like everybody else got and a weight room, it ain’t going to matter, I can tell you that. You can bring Vince Lombardi here and it ain’t going to matter,” St. James coach Joey Price on his team being physically outmatched.
Up next
Wilson: vs. Myrtle Beach (Thursday)
St. James: at North Myrtle Beach
Wilson | 14 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 34 |
SJ | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 |
First quarter
WIL-Jacob Quillen 16 pass to D.J. Fullard (Ryan Nelson kick) 9:58
STJ-Alex Holmes 9 run (Riley Parker kick) 5:13
WIL-Shai’Quan Scott 95 kickoff return (Nelson kick) 5:02
Second quarter
WIL-Quillen 66 pass to Zion Keith (Nelson kick) 4:02
STJ-Patrick Murphy fumble recovery in the end zone (Parker kick) 2:46
Third quarter
WIL-Quillen 63 pass to Antwan Smith (Nelson kick) 3:23
Fourth quarter
WIL-Zayshaun Rice 20 pass to Keith (kick failed) 3:33
Individual leaders
Rushing: Wilson: Shai’Quan Scott 9-58, Jacob Quillen 7-48. St. James: Deondray Stanfield 12-44, Chris Anderson 21-63, Alex Holmes 5-50.
Passing: Wilson: Jacob Quillen 14-25-2 243, Zayshaun Rice 1-1-0 20. St. James: Jacob Tyler 5-13-1 24.
Receiving: Wilson: Zion Keith 8-197, D.J. Fullard 2-24, Antwan Smith 4-89. St. James: Gage Flohr 3-13.
This story was originally published October 20, 2017 at 11:44 PM with the headline "Wilson sets up showdown with Myrtle Beach after routing St. James."