The St. Mary’s Dragons have emerged as one of the area’s top basketball programs in the past three years.
Something seems to be brewing on the South Side in football as well as the Dragons are off to an impressive 4-0 start under the leadership of second-year head coach Corey Bethany.
The Dragons have been scoring a lot of points and playing an entertaining style of football with a lot of big play ability. Senior running back Lavel Harris leads the way with 598 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. The 5’9” 160-pound Harris also excels at defensive back with four interceptions.
Senior quarterback Gus Dattoli is at the controls of the offense with 850 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. His top target is 6’2” senior Antonio Burks, who has 10 receptions for 269 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Jalen Bethany has nine receptions for 124 yards and four touchdowns while 6’6” senior receiver Yahuza Rasas has five receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. Burks, Rasas and Harris are also mainstays on the Dragons’ talented basketball team.
On defense, Bethany leads the way with 37 tackles, 17 solos and one interception. Senior defensive lineman Darius Houston has three quarterback sacks and senior Albert Huff has 30 tackles and 16 solos.
On Friday night, St. Mary’s will face its biggest test of the season when it will host undefeated St. Francis Borgia in an Archdiocesan Athletic Association contest.
Ladue turns it around
What a difference a week made for the Ladue Rams, who are currently 2-2 on the season. In Week 3, the Rams dropped a 28-21 decision to Webster Groves after holding a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
Last Friday night, it was Ladue’s turn to make a big comeback as they rallied from deficits of 17-0 and 23-7 to defeat Parkway Central 36-23 and knock the Colts from the ranks of the undefeated. The Rams scored 29 unanswered points while holding Parkway Central scoreless in the second half.
Senior quarterback Jordan Jackson saw his first action after missing the first three weeks of the season with an injury. Jackson passed for 182 yards and a touchdown. He directed the Rams to the Class 4 state semifinals a year ago. Junior running back Andrew Hunt ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
*Individual Standouts
*Quarterback Vito Orlando of Lutheran South set two school records with 322 yards passing and six touchdowns in the Lancers’ 54-13 win over Priory.
*Canaan Brooks of Lutheran North rushed for 196 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-7 victory over MICDS.
*Jared Price of Cardinal Ritter rushed for 187 yards and four touchdowns in a 66’-20 victory over Lutheran St. Charles.
*Jairus Maclin of Kirkwood caught five passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the Pioneers’ 41-35 loss to Pattonville.
Top Games of the Week
Kirkwood (3-1) at Parkway North (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Borgia (4-0) at St. Mary’s (4-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Vianney (4-0) at Chaminade (2-2), Friday, 7p.m.
Pattonville (2-2) at Webster Groves (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Fort Zumwalt West (2-2) at Timberland (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Lafayette (2-2) at Eureka (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Miller Career Academy (2-2) at Soldan (3-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.
Lutheran South (2-2) at Westminster (2-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.
Lutheran North (4-0) at John Burroughs (2-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.
