St. Martinville – Whatever confidence the St. Martinville Tigers may have felt after their 6-6 tie with Comeaux in the Kiwanis Jamboree took a serious blow last Friday when the Sam Houston Broncos handed The ’Ville a 49-6 whipping in the season opener at Tiger Stadium.

The SM defense just couldn’t handle a stable of strong Bronco running backs and their talented quarterback Evan Powell. Sam Houston pounded out 353 yards on the ground and Powell accounted for 30 of his team’s 49 points with three running touchdowns and three TD passes.

Sam Houston’s first unit offense scored on each of its first six possessions to build a 41-6 lead, and then the Broncos’ second team rubbed salt in SM’s wounded pride with a fourth quarter TD for the game’s final tally.



St. Martinville got started on the wrong foot, drawing two procedure penalties before SH’s first play from scrimmage. Running back Rafer Hubert set the tone for Sam Houston by taking the first handoff 35 yards to the SM 20, and four plays later Powell connected with Donovan Landry for the 21 yard TD less than two minutes into the game.

Four minutes later Powell capped an 81- yard, 8-play drive with a one yard TD.

The Broncos pretty much sealed the victory on the first play of the second quarter when Powell waltzed untouched into the end zone from the five at the conclusion of a 66 yard drive that took only five plays.

The Broncos stretched their lead to 28-0 three minutes later on a four yard run by Osha Jackson, SH’s leading rusher of the game with 142 yards on 10 carries.

St. Martinville finally got moving after sophomore quarterback Jamiah Nelson returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the Bronco 45. A five yard carry by Eddie Nelson and a penalty against Sam Houston gave the Tigers their first first down of the night at the 35. Two Jamiah Nelson carries moved the ball to the 21 and three plays later the sophomore flipped a short pass to junior Da’Quan Wiltz who added some nifty open field running for the 22 yard TD. Although the Tigers set up for the PAT kick, the holder bobbled the snap and had to fall on the ball, leaving the score at 28-6.

But Sam Houston answered with a 50 yard scoring drive, with Powell passing to Landry for a four yard touchdown just 33 seconds before intermission, boosting the Broncos into a 35-6 halftime lead.

At the half the visitors held a 14-5 edge in first downs and had rolled for 288 yards against SM’s 69.

Sam Houston added two more TDs in the second half, marching 67 yards on its first possession. Powell hit Hunter Prejean for the 11 yard score on the Broncos’ first possession of the third period.

After St. Martinville went three and out, Sam Houston coaches sent in their reserves. It took the second unit nine plays to strike for the game’s final score. Sophomore Tyrell Jones plunged in from the one early in the fourth quarter.

Coach Marc Broussard also put fresh faces into the SM lineup during the game’s final minutes. Senior QB Zack Olivier, who has been hobbled by a pre-season injury, got the Tigers moving with a 26 yard toss to Trey Tillman, and junior Asa Marshall gained 26 yards in three carries against Sam Houston reserves to help advance the Tigers to the Bronco nine. But after Olivier was sacked for a seven yard loss the Tigers faced a 4th and goal situation at the 12. Olivier found Tawaski Harrison open in the end zone but Harrison couldn’t hold onto the ball and the Tigers were denied on their final possession.

Eddie nelson led SM’s sputtering offense with 36 yards on eight carries.

The Tigers will be at home again this Friday when they host the Franklin Hornets.