By Chris Kinkaid

Special to L’Observateur

Salmen raced out to a 49-0-halftime lead before capturing a 55-7 road victory over the St. James Wildcats Friday night.

In the first half, Salmen (5-0) outgained St. James 275-41.

The Wildcats avoided the shutout with Larohn Cambre’s nine-yard run. Lester Verret’s PAT was good, making it 55-7 with 7:30 to go.

St. James coach Rick Gaille credited Salmen with being a very-good team and his guys for continuing to play.

“They’re well drilled and well coached in what they do,” Gaille said. “We had a really bad (4:54). That was as bad of a stretch a team could have. But we came out the second half and they (St. James) played with some pride and played better.”

Daniel Sams celebrated his 18th birthday with a monster game. He threw for 81 yards, a touchdown and interception. He also had three catches for 99 yards and a score along with six-yards rushing. Adding to his night, he returned an interception 102-yards for a score as the first half concluded. All of those were first-half numbers.

Jamal Robinson caught three passes for 121 yards and four touchdowns in half and finished with six receptions for 174 yards and four scores.

Matt Lipham tossed for 161 and three TDs and finished with 214 yards and five TDs.

Lipham said he was trying to give his receivers a chance to bring in high throws.

“That’s every game. I know I can throw the ball up and they’ll get it no matter what, no matter how many people are on them,” Lipham said.

Salmen deferred the toss and forced a three-and-out. The snap to the punter was dropped and the Spartans’ Elliot Scales recovered, giving them great field position at the St. James (0-5) 15.

Salmen couldn’t take advantage as Sams was pressured then picked off by Niarius Joseph.

The Spartans’ defense forced another three-and-out and took over at their 35. Sams redeemed himself on the initial play when he found Robinson along the right sideline. Robinson cutback and outran the defenders for a 65-yard score. Gulino’s extra point was good and Salmen led 7-0 with 7:48 left in the first quarter.

On their next drive, Salmen went eight plays 54-yards, ending when Lipham found Robinson for a 10-yard TD pass. Gulino’s PAT extended the advantage to 14-0 with 1:13 to go.

St. James had two long drives. The first one started in the opening quarter before ending with a punt from Salmen’s 38.

The Spartans punted. The Wildcats took over at Salmen’s 40 and drove to the five and faced fourth-and-goal. Kenneth Armant got the pitch, ran left, but Chrishawn Dupuy knocked him out-of-bounds just short of the goal line.

Salmen, who had run just three plays to this point in the quarter, took over with 4:54 remaining and used the time to tally 28 points.

First, they went nearly the length of the field. Two big plays covered 83 yards. First, Lipham connected with Sams on a juggling catch for 46 yards. Later, Lipham went back to Robinson, who went up for a great touchdown catch from 37-yards out. Gulino’s PAT was good and stretching the margin to 21-0 with 2:41 left.

Salmen was back on the board just 14-seconds later when Dupuy came up with his second big play, an interception he returned 35-yards to pay dirt. Gulino was true and it was 28-0.

St. James attempted to punt in three plays, but a low snap and recovery by Salmen’s Chuck Baker led to Salmen taking over at the 22. Following an incompletion, Lipham hit Sams on a wide-receiver screen for another TD and it was 35-0 at the 1:32 mark.

Zephaniah Rudolph recovered a fumble for Salmen with 46-seconds remaining. On the first play, Lipham hit Sams, who made a leaping reception, for 31-yards. After a pair on incompletions, Lipham tossed a swing pass to DeJuan Mackey, who went for six. Gulino tacked on the PAT for a 42-0 advantage with 23.7 seconds left.

The kickoff was returned to Salmen’s 47 plus another 15 for facemask with 16.5 left. St. James moved it to the 25, but was penalized five yards. Just when it looked like it couldn’t get any worse for the Wildcats, Falgout threw a pass toward the end zone with 3.9 showing, but Sams intercepted it two-yards deep and returned it up the left sideline 102 yards as the half ended. Gulino’s PAT made it 49-0 by the break.

“I was about to kneel it, but I remembered there was like five-seconds left, so I tried to make something happen and whatever happened, happened,” Sams said.

Salmen drove the second-half kickoff 69 yards and once again Lipham hit Robinson this time for 24 yards. St. James blocked the PAT, keeping it 55-0.