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Dom Santiago erupted for 251 rushing yards and five total touchdowns in a massive Helena offensive performance as the Huskies outpaced Calera in a high-flying region finale. (For the Reporter/Jeremy Raines)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

CALERA – From the very first play of the game, it was apparent whose night it was: Dom Santiago.

The Huskies running back hit paydirt in explosive fashion with a 66-yard run down the sideline for a touchdown on the game’s opening play, putting Helena up 7-0 just 17 seconds into the game.

From there, No. 5 on the field went on to score five total touchdowns for the night, four on the ground and one in the air, along with 251 rushing yards off just 13 carries while stepping up for the injured Jeremy Spratling.

Powered by the massive night from him and the offensive line, the Huskies remained on top and largely in control en route to a 49-21 win over the Calera Eagles on Oct. 25 at Ricky Cairns Stadium in Helena’s final game of the regular season.

“We knew Dom had that in him,” Helena coach Richie Busby said. “Dom showed spurts of that when he was getting playing time, and now it’s his time to shine, and he really embraced it. He had a different demeanor about him this week, a different demeanor today when I looked in his eyes. Heck of a back.”

Calera got a big run of its own from Demetrius Davis to start its opening drive, and a roughing the passer call on 2nd and 14 put the Eagles in prime position to strike from the Huskies 24.

However, Helena’s pass rush locked in from there to frustrate AJ Johnson. Davis tried to save the drive on a fourth-and-4 run but was stopped just short of the line to gain at the Huskies 14.

Santiago once again provided an opening-play spark with a 28-yard run to the Calera 42.

Shortly after that, Ferguson tried to find Torrey Ward in stride along the sideline near the end zone, but it fell incomplete. He didn’t miss his mark twice though and hit Ward up the middle for a 33-yard score to make the lead 14-0 with 6:55 left in the first.

The Eagles then chipped away at the Helena defense with multiple first-down plays before landing a decisive and emphatic strike.

Johnson found Hagler in stride along the right side for a 42-yard touchdown catch, cutting the deficit in half to 14-7 with 3:37 left in the opening quarter.

The teams traded punts on their next two drives, but the Huskies struck on their ensuing drive.

After Helena was backed up by a penalty, Calera nearly picked off a pass on second-and-14 from right around midfield.

An unsportsmanlike conduct foul on the Eagles made it a first down though, and two plays later, Santiago tumbled his way for 26 yards into the end zone for another touchdown, making it 21-7 with 10:38 left in the second.

Calera responded with a solid four-and-a-half minute drive that really got going after a pass interference call inside the 10.

The Eagles nearly got into the end zone through the air before the Huskies made a big open field tackle at the goal line. Davis finished the job with a 1-yard punch-in to make it a 21-14 game with 5:51 left in the half.

Santiago continued to dominate on the ensuing drive, reeling off runs of 21 and 29 before catching a short third-down pass from Ferguson and taking it in for the 13-yard receiving touchdown.

That took the lead to 28-14 with 2:06 left until halftime, but after Calera went three and out, the Huskies had 1:37 to work with for a final statement.

Starting from the Eagles 49, Chris Brown ran to the 23 and a personal foul tacked on 15 more yards. Two plays later, Santiago ran it up the middle for his fourth touchdown of the half with 1:19 left.

That 35-14 lead held through the break after Nate Jones picked off an end zone shot on the last play of half after a Calera drop in the end zone on the previous play.

The Eagles also got the ball to start the half and worked their way down the field off a Davis first-down catch and a Johnson conversion run on fourth-and-2.

However, they couldn’t find the end zone as the Calera receiver dropped a pass while running out of space in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-12 from the 29.

Santiago immediately punished the Eagles by taking the opening handoff 71 yards to the house, ending his night with his fifth total touchdown and making the score 42-14 with 5:56 left in the third.

KD Young responded with a 64-yard kickoff return to the Helena 35. His run was only ended by a late hit that tacked on 15 more yards to start the drive in the red zone.

After throwing to Hagler to get the ball on the 9, Johnson made a tough throw across his body on the run to find Braxton Brooks planted in the middle of the end zone off a busted coverage, making the deficit 42-21 with 4:10 left in the third.

However, that was the last time that Calera found the end zone. Kevin Pinkard jumped an Eagles pass and returned it all the way from Huskies territory with 10:14 left, putting the finishing touches on the 49-21 win.

After the game, Busby complemented his entire team, including his offensive line, kicker Austin Lewis, the receiving corps and the entire defense.

He was particularly proud of Santiago though for finally having his breakout game after splitting carries alongside Spratling this season and playing behind Jordan Washington last year.

“The good Lord blesses us in that area and sometimes it’s unfair we’ve had such good (running backs) in every class that you don’t get playing time a lot early,” Busby said. “Dom is a great three down back, probably one of the best I’ve ever had because he catches the ball so well out of the backfield. He can run with power. He can open it up and outrun everybody in the open field.

“So, I’m tickled to death for him because I know it’s a long time waiting for him to have a game like that.”

As for the passing game, Ferguson finished 9-for-13 with 152 yards and two touchdowns along with 36 rushing yards off four carries. Ward was his top receiver with three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown and Brown had three catches for 55 yards.

For Calera, Johnson went 21-for-41 for 277 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions along with 53 rushing yards off 11 carries. Davis also ran for 50 yards off nine carries.

Hagler was Johnson’s top receiver with 119 yards and a touchdown off four catches and Young had eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown and Brooks joined him with 75 yards off six catches.

Helena finished the regular season 6-3 and will face the loser of next week’s St. Paul’s and Spanish Fort game in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at Helena High School.

Busby was proud of how his team bounced back from adversity after the third loss to Oxford to now enter the playoffs with all of the momentum on its side.

“They could have folded up tents, but didn’t and came back and did exactly what we needed to do–win four straight games going to the playoffs and hosting a 6A playoff game,” Busby said. “It’s not easy. 6A from top to bottom has the most parity probably of any classification in the state of Alabama. And so, we move ahead.”

As for Calera, the 3-6 Eagles will finish out the 2024 season on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. against Stanhope Elmore at Ricky Cairns Stadium.

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