As playoffs heat up, this week brings a challenge as St. Mary’s goes on the road to face St. Martin’s

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) - The St. Mary’s Tigers are our only Cenla team left in the Division IV Select bracket. The Tigers are coming off a 45-0 shutout against Hanson Memorial last Friday. As for this coming Friday, they will be hopping on the road to face #4 St. Martin’s.

The Tigers could have their hands full on defense as St. Martin’s has one of the top running backs for 2025 in Harlem Berry, who averages around 173 yards-per-game, but the Tigers have a few guys that can push him back with Drake Griffin, Logan Watson, and a few guys in the trenches such as Kolton Norsworthy.

St. Mary’s should have no problem on the offensive side though, as they have their veteran quarterback, Adam Parker, who will make a play when it seems there is not a way. Parker’s key target this season has been Ethan Busby, who will be a threat to St. Martin’s defense.

“Our defense, I think has kind of been under the radar this entire year,” said St. Mary’s Head Coach Aaron York. “You look at what they have done in terms of giving up points. They are giving up less than 10 points a ball game, that is impressive. This week is going to be nothing new; they are going to go out, they are going to have a good scheme in place and go after their running back.”

The Tigers will also depend on their run game, which has been dominated by Joe Metoyer and Drake Griffin.

York says if the Tigers’ defense can stop the run, then the offense can do what they always do, which is use their weapons in the air and on the ground.

“We put in a few new wrinkles in our run game with Adam and Ethan right now clicking and with our running back,” continued York. “We are getting Joe into the mix and that just adds more weapons that we have offensively and that we can add to Drake in the backfield and Mixon Bankston at wide receiver.”

If the Tigers can bring back a win Friday against the Saints and move on to the semifinals, it will be the first time since 2016.

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