The News staff reports
SABINE PASS — Heads are starting to turn toward Sabine Pass.
The Sharks have a winning streak for the first time in at least three years after routing the Acadiana Christian School (La.) Defenders 42-6 Friday night. Sabine Pass not only scored its most points in a game in at least that amount of time; it now has two wins in a season for the first time since 2011, when they went 2-7.
For now, the Sharks are 2-1 after going 0-10 last season. Their last winning season was 9-2 in 1983.
“I think it’s just the new attitude we have,” coach Jason Thibodeaux said. “It goes back to the first game, when it was a 12-6 loss [to Pasadena First Baptist at home], but the kids knew that we could be in a ballgame and have a chance to win. I think that started that new mentality that we’re a pretty good ballclub and if we can put it together, we can go from start to finish and come up with a win.”
That’s exactly what the Sharks did, racing to a 28-0 halftime lead.
Also for the first time this season, the Sharks did not trail. They came back from a 14-6 halftime hole to beat Galveston O’Connell at home 16-14 last Friday to end an 18-game losing streak.
Quarterback Dominique Wilson had a busy game Friday. He ran 5 yards for a touchdown, returned a punt 57 yards for a TD, completed two-point conversion passes to Glenndell Walker and Brayden Miller, rushed 64 yards for another TD, made a 20-yard scoring run and scored two more points running.
D’Coven Turner had two 5-yard TD carries.
The Defenders scored their only touchdown to begin the second half, ending the Sharks’ goal of a shutout. Even with a rare sizable margin of victory, Thibodeaux said the defense was left unhappy about giving up points.
“I’m glad they’re upset because that means they care,” Thibodeaux said.
Acadiana Christian, based in Lafayette, is the formation of what was recently the Acadiana Home School Athletics program.