St. Francis football dominates Paraclete

LA CANADA —  The St. Francis High football team and Devyn Turner emphatically welcomed the Paraclete Spirits to the Angelus League with 31-point victory on Homecoming night. A three-touchdown performance by Turner secured a 45-14 victory at Jim Bonds Stadium on Friday night.

The Knights (3-3, 1-0) outgained the Spirit (0-6, 0-1) — 402 yards of offense to 255 yards — thanks in large part to the dynamic tandem of Turner, an Allen High School (Texas) transfer, and quarterback Jack Jacobs. The duo combined for five of the six touchdowns and combined for 356 yards of total offense.

Turner, who finished with three touchdowns and 159 yards running, and Jacobs, who threw for two touchdowns and 197 yards on 10-of-11 attempts, came out midway through the third quarter after the Knights went up by seven scores.

“We’re going to make some trouble. We’re all gas no brakes,” Turner said of the duo’s potential after a big league-opening performance. “We’re going to cause some problems for these (league) teams.”

From the opening kickoff, Turner put his imprint on the game and carried the bulk of the scoring production in the first half. Turner scored the first of three first-half touchdowns on the opening offensive series. In a drive of four plays and 54 yards, the running back scored on an 11-yard touchdown run, giving the Knights a 7-0 lead with 8:52 remaining.

After St. Francis recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, the Texas transfer needed just one play and ripped off a 45-yard touchdown run to double the Knights’ lead to 14-0.

Turner added his third touchdown early in the second quarter. Turner helped the Knights capitalize on the short field and punched in a 12-yard touchdown, finishing up a four-play drive. Turner finished the first half with 139 yards rushing and three touchdowns, giving the Knights a 28-0 lead at the break

“We haven’t had (Turner) all year and he’s getting better and better,” St. Francis head football coach Dean Herrington said. “He’s an electric player and he opens up our passing game when he is back there.”

Turner suffered a foot injury early in the season and played one quarter in the Knights’ win last week.

Equally as impressive, the Knights pressure up front gave Paraclete quarterback Tyler Soles trouble all night. The Knights constantly collapsed the pocket and flushed Soles out, forcing him into tough throws.

St. Francis’ defensive front sacked Soles twice, held him to 61 yards passing on 10-of-17 attempts and picked him off for a touchdown late in the first quarter.

“We’ve been getting better on defense each week,” Herrington said. “Started off the year with some good offenses and now we’ve got two shutouts in a row with our first-string (defense).”

Paraclete’s bright spots came early in the fourth quarter when the offense put together two of its best drives of the game. Paraclete traveled 80 yards to score on a fumble into the end zone, breaking up the shutout.

On the ensuing offensive series, backup quarterback Anthony Gill found Takai Brown for a 54-yard touchdown. Brown finished with seven catches, 84 yards and the touchdown.