The visiting Salmen Spartans turned five first-half Northside turnovers into 28 points Friday night en route to a 49-12 victory in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 4A football state quarterfinals.

Spartan sophomore Joshua Adams recovered two fumbles, and both resulted in Salmen scores.

Sixth-seeded Salmen (10-2) took advantage of its opportunities and will now host 15th seeded Archbishop Shaw in the state semifinals. Third-seeded Northside had its season come to an end at 10-2.

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The turnovers started early for the Vikings. On their second play from scrimmage, Northside fumbled, and Adams was there for the recovery. Five plays later, Salmen’s sophomore quarterback, Daniel Sams, who accounted for five touchdowns (four passing), ran left for 9 yards and the score. Freshman Chris Gulino, who was 7-for-7 on extra points, hit his first PAT, and Salmen led, 7-0.

Northside responded by going on a 55-yard drive and scoring when Ridge Wilson, who ran for 145 yards, got in from 4 yards out. The point after was no good, and the Spartans held a 7-6 lead with 6:01 left in the first period.

Salmen punted on its next possession. Three plays later, Northside faced a third-and-13 when Salmen’s Greg Brickley intercepted a pass to give the Spartans the ball at their own 46. Salmen did not score off the miscue, but it was the only turnover that didn’t result in a Spartan tally during the opening half. Salmen led 7-6 after the first quarter.

On the second play of the second period, the Vikings had the ball on their own 15 when they fumbled once again. And it was Adams once again with the recovery, this time at Northside’s 14.

Three plays later Sams hooked up with George Williams for a touchdown. Gulino’s PAT made it 14-6.

Then Salmen blew the game open. Northside was forced to punt, and Salmen took over at its own 13. On second-and-seven, Sams found wide receiver Isiah Tate up the right sideline. He outran defenders on his way to an 84-yard score. Gulino was good on the extra point, making it 21-6.

“They were in man, coach recognized it, called a pass play, the quarterback threw it, the line blocked and as a receiver, it’s my job to catch it, and I caught it,” Tate said. “The throw was on the money. Perfect.”

The Vikings turned the ball over again on their next possession after driving to Spartans’ 15. The Vikings ran an option, but Salmen’s David Edgerson took the ball out of the air on the pitch and returned it 84 yards for another TD. Gulino’s extra point extended the lead to 28-6 with 7:54 remaining in the first half.

The Spartans weren’t done yet. Northside ran four plays before fumbling again, and this time it was Joe Rudolph with the recovery. Again the Spartans took advantage by going on a 55-yard drive, capped off by Sams finding Tate for a 34-yard scoring strike. Gulino added the PAT, and Salmen took a 35-6 lead to halftime

The key play on the drive was a fake punt on fourth-and-three. Up-back Matt Lipham hit Tate for 22 yards. The Spartans took that lead into halftime.

Salmen coach Jerry Leonard talked about the turnovers.

“They’ve shown that they put the ball on the ground a little bit in the past, and we were lucky to get on them,” Leonard said.

Salmen padded its lead by scoring a touchdown in both the third and fourth quarters, holding a 49-6 advantage with 4:58 left.

Northside finished the scoring with 36 seconds left on a pass from Roshon Broussard to Jereon McGilvery. The two-point conversion failed, capping off a 49-12 victory.