Top Performers from St. James vs. Piper

Santino Bernal November 13, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Made it back out to Piper High School too see the 7-3 Pirates take on the red-hot 6-4 Thunder of St. James Academy. The defending 4A State Champs came into this sectional round matchup riding a six-game win streak after starting the season 0-4. Piper entered the contest with a three-game win streak of their own, looking to make it over the hump to reach the sub-state round. Defense was the story through three quarters of this game, with the Thunder taking a 10-0 lead into the fourth. St. James would hit on some big plays throughout the contest, but the Pirates’ defense wouldn’t fold. But things would change in a hurry after Piper cut the lead to 10-7 in the fourth. The Pirates got bit by the turnover bug after this score, and St. James would quickly take advantage of the extra possessions. The defending champs make it back to the sub-state round, defeating the Pirates 31-7. Take a look at the eight standout players from this sectional round matchup (Unofficial Stats). Offense: [player_tooltip player_id="166977" first="Jackson" last="House"] – St. James, QB, Class of ’23 This first-year signal caller has been on fire during the Thunder’s winning streak, and he took that momentum into this matchup. House earns Player of the Game after an impressive performance through the air and on the ground. The junior finished the game going 14 of 25 for 276 yards with one touchdown and rushed for 76 yards on 13 carries. Tiave Watts – St. James, RB, Class of ’22 Watts is another first-year starter on offense for the Thunder, and he came up big when it mattered the most. Piper’s defense kept him bottled up for the most part, but he did manage to reel off a key 47-yard touchdown run, which was the first of three scores for the Thunder in the fourth quarter. Watts would finish with 132 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns and hauled in three receptions for 23 yards. Blake Porter – Piper, ATH, Class of ’22 Porter filled in well this year after [player_tooltip player_id="124494" first="Logan" last="Ladish"] suffered a season-ending injury back in Week 4. He had the Pirates within striking distance multiple times, but St. James’ defense found ways to stall out any momentum they gained. Porter would finish going 10 of 24 for 136 yards and made a few nice plays on the ground. Despite the loss, Porter showed heart and that he could be a playmaker at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="35590" first="Tyler" last="Claiborne"] – St. James, WR, Class of’ ’22 Claiborne showed why he’s the 36th ranked prospect in the class last night. The lengthy wideout was able to get separation against the Pirates’ secondary, and he was dangerous after the catch. He brought in six receptions for 107 yards, with one 14-yard touchdown catch, and he punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown. [player_tooltip player_id="206715" first="Divante" last="Herrig-Brittain"] – Piper, ATH, Class of ’22 Divante was featured as a top performer in Piper’s Week 2 matchup against Eudora, and he stands out once again against St. James. He came up with some impressive catches and picked up yards in Piper’s Wildcat formation as well. The versatile athlete ended the game with six touches for 81 yards of total offense. Divante is also one of the newest additions to the Class of ’22 player rankings, as he checks in as the 17th ranked athlete in this latest update. Defense: Aidan Janatello & Spencer Dohm – SJA, Class of ’22 & ’24 These two backers have been the Thunder’s leading tacklers throughout the season, and it seemed as if they were involved in almost every play during this game. Janaetello finished second behind Dohm for total tackles, as he piled up eight on the night and came up with a huge interception in the fourth quarter. Dohm earns Defensive Player of the Game in this one though. The sophomore led the charge with 11 total tackles and three sacks in his first sectional round start. [player_tooltip player_id="87681" first="Camden" last="Beebe"] – Piper, OL/DL, Class of ’23 Beebe is widely known in the recruiting world for his play on offense, as he is the 2nd ranked offensive lineman in the Class of ’23. While he played well on offense during this game; It was his play on the defensive line that stood out. He was one of the leading tacklers for the Pirates, as he finished with six total with two tackles being for losses.