Warriors advance to title game

AMITE — Last night, the Amite Warriors showed just why they were awarded the top ranking in the Class 3A state playoffs this year.

The Warriors accumulated 448 yards of total offense and cruised to a 48-20 victory over the visiting St. James Wildcats in a semifinal-round contest held at the Amite field.

The Warriors held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, but took command of the game in the second.

In that decisive period, the Warriors racked up 27 points and held a 34-7 lead at the end of the first half.

“We were beaten by a superior football team,” St. James head coach Rick Gaille said. “They drove the ball down our throats and when they needed to, they made the big plays. I congratulate them. They played beautifully tonight.”

The Warriors advance to the Superdome where they will take on Notre Dame next week for the Class 3A state title.

With their second-quarter surge, the Warriors bolted out to a 27-0 lead before the Wildcats got on the scoreboard.

With 2:06 left in the quarter, Javon Keller took a handoff and ran in from five yards away for St. James’ first points on the contest. Jerome Lewis booted the extra point to make it a 27-7 affair.

Moments later, however, the Warriors regained their 27-point advantage.

On the ensuing kickoff, James Burns fielded the kick and returned it 86 yards for a score, and Amite entered the halftime intermission with the momentum it gained earlier in the period.

Burns had a stellar night for the Warriors and accounted for four touchdowns. The Warriors standout had two rushing scores, one receiving and one via his kickoff return. Burns finished the game with 110 yards rushing and 93 yards receiving.

Kendrick Perry rushed for 207 yards on 38 carries and he scored a touchdown to help spearhead the rushing attack of Amite.

Tremaine Dapremont was the leading rusher for the Wildcats with 41 yards on seven carries and one touchdown and Luther Ambrose had 35 yards rushing on three attempts. Ambrose also had an 80-yard touchdown on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter.

Burns played an integral part in the second-quarter blitz that gave the Warriors control of the game.

Early in the period, Burns caught a 17-yard pass from Walter Mason for a touchdown that gave the Warriors a 13-0 lead.

Just under three minutes later, at the 9:02 mark of the stanza, Burns exploded again, this time on a 67-yard touchdown run, that gave Amite a 20-point edge.

Midway through the quarter, Mason and Burns hooked up again, this time on a 55-yard touchdown pass, to help the Warriors increase their lead.

Mason had a strong game at the quarterback position for the Warriors as he completed five of his seven passes for 103 yards and he threw for two touchdowns.

Antonio Phillips was the quarterback for the Wildcats and hit on six of his 12 pass attempts and tallied 70 yards through the air.