By Brad Greer
The North Delta Green Wave seemed to have everything under control in leading 27-8 with 10:16 remaining in the third quarter of their District 1-AAA battle with St. Joseph Friday night in Greenville.
But just like the 35 plus mile-an-hour winds that kicked up less than a hour before kickoff, the lead and eventually the game  evaporated from the Wave as St. Joe scored 34 unanswered points to come away with a 42-27 homecoming victory.

With the win, St. Joseph ( 7-1; 4-1) secured second place within the division while North Delta ( 5-3; 3-2) wrapped up the district slate in third place with two non- conference games remaining on the schedule.

“When you’re facing a team that is talented as St. Joe and that momentum starts rolling it is tough to stop and good things are going to start to happen for them. We kept the momentum in the first half and other than the long scoring pass we gave up right before halftime we basically controlled the game.

But one thing we have to learn to be a successful ball team is to finish games when we have a second half lead. We played hard as always and a few tough calls here and there we come out with the victory. It is time we just regroup and focus all our attention on Marshall next week,” said Green Wave head coach Ciaramitaro.

North Delta led 21-0 with 1:59 remaining in the first half on a one yard scoring run from Kaleb Joyner followed by touchdown passes of 11 and 34 yards from Will Kidder to Bailey Ross and Michael Prine  The Fighting Irish got on the board with 15 seconds remaining with a one-yard run from quarterback Brice Johnson and a two-point conversion to make the score 21-8 at intermission.

The Green Wave received the second half kickoff and quickly scored as Kidder connected with a wide open Prine for a 36-yard scoring strike on 4th-and 10 call to complete a eight play; 47 yard drive. Kidder’s screen pass to Joyner for 23 yards on 3rd-and-22 from their own 41 keyed the drive.

The rest of the night belonged to St. Joe as the Irish began its comeback with a 34-yard touchdown run from E’darius Hendrix with 8:25 left in the third to make score 27-14 after the two-point conversion fail.
Following a successful onside kick recovery on the North Delta 48, Johnson hit Jaelin Thomas on a 48-yard scoring reception with Johnson converting the two-point conversion that cut into North Delta’s margin at 27-22. St. Joe then took the lead at 30-27 on the next series on a Johnson to Chambers Mansour two-yard pass with 1:43 left in the third quarter.

North Delta squandered two huge chances to take the lead in the fourth by coming empty on first and goal inside the Irish five-yard line. Facing fourth- and goal from the two, Kidder was stopped on a quarterback sneak. The Green Wave defense stood tall to force St. Joe to punt out of their own endzone where they surprisingly called a fake punt that netted four yards.

 Two running plays by North Delta set up fourth down from inside the one where Kidder was stopped yet again on a sneak inches from the goalline.St. Joe took over and iced the game with a ten-play; 99-yard drive capped off by Johnson’s four yard run to extend the lead to 36-27 at the 3:18 mark.
 ” We thought about kicking a field goal but at the same time we know they had all the momentum and tying the game with that much time left would not do any good. Looking back on it  I would not have done anything different because we were on the one yard line and we haven’t been stopped there all season so I liked our chances to score but we just could not convert,” said Ciaramitaro.

 St. Joe added its last touchdown on a 44-yard pass with 1:05 left to play.

 The Irish outgained North Delta in total yardage 467-341 despite turning the ball over two times.
The Green Wave was held to a season- low 96 yards rushing with Joiner leading the way with 60 yards on nine carries. Kidder followed with 19 carries for 51 yards while Hunter Baker had three totes for one yard.

 Kidder ended the night 11-of-24 passing for 244 yards and three touchdowns while Cole Devazier added one completion for one yard and also recorded a fumble recovery and interception on defense.
 Ross led North Delta in receiving with three catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Prine also had three receptions for 77 yards and two scores with Joyner adding four catches for 74 yards. John Haga Lewis had one catch for 13 yards and Kidder caught one pass for one yard.

 North Delta was penalized ten times for 70 yards while the Irish was flagged six times for 41 yards.
 The Green Wave will conclude its three game road trip at Marshall Friday night at 7 p.m.