BTW defense dictates game, shuts down WM offense

Published 12:35 pm Friday, October 1, 2021

Booker T. Washington’s defense kept Washington-Marion off the scoreboard and set up a couple of easy scores for the Lions offense in a 21-8 win Thursday night at LaGrange’s John J. Mims Stadium.

BTW-New Orleans (2-1) held the Charging Indians (2-2) to 98 yards of offense. W-M running back Derrick Paul, who averaged 136 yards per game through the first three games, was held to 42 yards on 13 carries. It was the first time he was held under 100 yards, also the first game in which he did not score a touchdown.

BTW ran for 230 yards. Arnold Barnes had 109 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns. Quarterback Damyren Washington threw for 74 yards and ran for 49. Backup running back Jace Smith ran for 47 yards and a touchdown in the second half.

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W-M head coach Jules Sullen said he knew what to expect from BTW.

“I knew this was going to be one of the toughest teams we saw all year, particularly on defense,” he said. “They were taking away the perimeter and we tried to make some adjustments during the game. We have a young team and I liked the way they fought.”

The Charging Indians defense produced a score when Kishaun Stevens returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

W-M was down 21-0 at the time. The lone Charging Indians possession to reach the red zone ended with a turnover on downs at the Lions 19.

BTW’s defense dominated the first half, shutting out W-M and forcing a pair of turnovers that led to touchdowns.

Arnold Barnes scored twice to cap short drives, first on a 15-yard first-quarter run then on a 3-yard run in the second quarter. The first drive covered 29 yards and was set up by an Edric Williams interception. Tyrick Fortia recovered a fumble at the W-M 3-yard line to set up the Lions’ second score.

Smith added a 10-yard touchdown run up the middle early in the fourth quarter.

BTW is coached by Wayne Reese Jr., son of the late Wayne Reese Sr., a former W-M head coach. Sullen served as an assistant coach under Reese at W-M.