Every time the St. Anthony Saints got the ball rolling this year it wound up in the gutter.  They had a lead in each of the first three games, but turnovers lead to losses.  They got above .500 in the middle of the season, but then they lost their starting quarterback for the season.

Last night at Clark Field in the season closer, the story remained the same as the Saints fell to Bell-Jeff, 38-28, to officially eliminate St. Anthony from the playoffs.

Trailing by three with a little over three minutes remaining in regulation, the Saints were poised to get the ball back as they had Bell-Jeff in a 4th-and-27 on their own 35-yard line.  But like their season, the plan hit the skids when Bell-Jeff ran a halfback pass and scored the 65-yard game-clinching touchdown.

“We were on our way all season but we couldn’t make the play,” said St. Anthony coach Brian Walsh.  “We just needed one play.”

With all the turbulence this year, it’s hard to look forward right now, but the Saints do have a bright future as their entire offensive backfield (all sophomores) and their linebacking core are returning after learning a lot of hard lessons this season.