Lightning delay doesn't deter Cadets, who get big performances from quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava and running back Colby McDonald en route to a surprisingly lopsided win.
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Neither a 750-mile trip, nor a one-day lightning delay or even the 13th-ranked team in the country could slow down the
St. John's (Washington, D.C.) football team.
Junior quarterback
Sol-Jay Maiava threw for 224 yards and two scores, ran for another and
Colby McDonald tacked on two long touchdown jaunts as the fifth-ranked Cadets handed host
Hoover (Ala.) a thorough 42-14 defeat Saturday morning.
The game was continued following a lightning stoppage with 3 minutes left in the first quarter Friday night and St. John's leading 7-0.
The teams hung around for about two hours Friday before the game was officially postponed.
St. John's controlled Friday's early play and continued on Saturday when Maiava completed a 75-yard touchdown pass to
Rakim Jarrett later in the first period.
St. John's running back Ron Cook finishes off a 9-yard touchdown run that finished off Hoover.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Hoover cut the deficit to 14-7 on a 1-yard TD run by
Larry McCammon, but Maiava fired a 50-yard touchdown pass to
Cam Ross and McDonald ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run, and with four minutes left in the third quarter, St. John's led 28-7.
When
Ron Cook scored on a 9-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, St. John's was up 35-7 and this one was decided.
McDonald put some finishing touches on with a 61-yard TD scamper for the winners before a 1-yard TD pass from
Levi McCree to
Brady Hopkins closed the scoring for Hoover.
St. John's coach Joe Casamento was gracious in victory. "Hoover is a great program," he told
AL.com. "We just fought hard because it was tough coming back this morning after staying in a hotel and getting back late. I was a little nervous, but we settled down, got the big play early and we played hard."
Said Hoover coach Josh Niblet: "We got outplayed, I got outcoached and we got outclassed on everything you could be."
Colby McDonald (24) in the early stages of his first of two long touchdown runs.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Colby McDonald lunges into the end zone following a 57-yard run.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Colby McDonald is lifted into the air by offensive lineman Colin Henrich.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Cam Ross (7) had a touchdown for St. John's.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Hoover receiver Brad Hopkins makes a superb catch in the corner of the end zone to close the scoring.
Photo by Joe Boyd
