The first also turned out to be the last for St. Paul’s and Fontainebleau.

Nine weeks ago, the Wolves were stunned in a season-opening loss to Karr, but would not lose again in the regular season.

The Bulldogs won their first game under rookie coach Mike Materne, but ended the season in a nine-game tailspin, including a 35-7 thumping to St. Paul’s on Friday night at the Dawg Pound.

St. Paul’s Mikhail Washington cuts around a block to get into the end zone during Friday night’s 35-7 victory over Fontainebleau at the Dawg Pound. Washington picked up 91 yards on 14 carries for the Wolves, who captured the District 7-5A title with a 7-0 record winning their ninth consecutive game. (Photo by Joey Michel)

“The loss impacted us,” Wolves quarterback Alec Duncan said. “We knew if we wanted to be the caliber of team that we knew we could be, we had to win every game. A nine-game winning streak. I can’t wait to get rolling in the playoffs and make a name for ourselves.”

Although the win produced a familiar outcome– the Wolves fourth

District 7-5A title in five years – a new star took a rare curtain call for St. Paul’s. Duncan, who spent much of the season handing off to battery mates Dylan Long, Stephon Smith and Mikhail Washington, threw for 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Although Air Duncan may not be ready for primetime, his 12-of-21 performance gives the Wolves an added dimension heading into the playoffs.

“I felt confident whenever a play was called for me to throw the ball,” Duncan said. “We balanced the ball out well. It helped running the ball all year. It opened up the air really well.”

The Wolves (9-1, 7-0) ran off 35 consecutive points after falling behind 7-0 early in the first quarter. Duncan was 8-of-16 for 99 yards in a first half that ended with St. Paul’s leading 14-7.

“Credit Fontainebleau’s defense,” St. Paul’s coach Kenny Sears said in explaining his shift to the air. “They are very good and we knew they would load up the box. We knew we would have to put it in the air to win.

“(Duncan) was real poised, composed. He did not let things bother him.”

The Wolves’ defense was dominant, holding FHS (1-9, 0-7) to 12 first-half rushing yards and 33 for the game. The Wolves picked off three Connor Smith’s passes and were stingy with first downs, allowing nine for the game.

“Our strength on defense has been stopping the running game,” Sears said. “Fontainebleau has a big offensive line and god running backs but our guys came to play tonight.”

St. Paul’s controlled the ball for 14:49 of the first half, and 8:45 of the third quarter.

“Too many mistakes, just too many mistakes,” Materne said. “Too many third down plays; we gave up a fourth down. You can’t win football games like that.”

Materne reached deep into the trick bag to produce Fontainebleau’s only score. On first down from the St. Paul’s 29-yard line, Smith threw a scoring pass to Chris Fisher on a flea-flicker that gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead at the 8:39 mark of the first quarter. The score came on play after the Bulldogs converted a fourth-and-one at the Wolves’ 31-yard line.

“We figured we needed something to maybe get a little spark going,” Materne said of the touchdown pass.

The Bulldogs’ celebration was rather brief, however, as the Wolves answered with an 11-play, 73-yard drive that consumed 6:07 of the clock. Washington’s one-yard run and Jake Saltalamacchia’s PAT tied the score with 2:24 left in the first quarter but the play was Duncan’s eight-yard completion to Washington on fourth-and-six at Fontainebleau’s 27.

Duncan’s four-yard scoring pass to Washington capped a 59-yard drive and gave the Wolves a 14-7 with 26.3 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Bulldogs appeared to have stuffed the Wolves on their first possession of the second half, but on third-and-22 from the St. Paul’s 47, Long turned a short completion into a 46-yard gain that carried to the Fontainebleau seven. Two plays later, Long finished it off with a one-yard plunge that gave the Wolves a 21-7 lead with 6:14 left in the third quarter.

“It was short route and nothing looked open,” Duncan said of the game-changing play. “He improvised. He went down the sidelines and finished the run off. It worked perfect for us.”

St. Paul’s added a 17-yard Duncan to Will Gensler hookup in the third quarter and Washington’s three-yard scoring run in the fourth. Washington’s run was his final carry and gave him 91 yards on 14 attempts.

“(Washington) looked good,” Duncan said. “It looked like he laid some guys out. That was nice.”

Although the Wolves ended the regular season with another trophy and an impressive winning streak, Sears is cautious as the playoffs near.

“I’m real proud of our kids’ accomplishments,” he said. “Now it’s a new season. We are one in 32 (playoff) teams and every team is pretty good.

“We have to get focused.”

While Sears was talking playoffs, Materne stood alone, his disappointment evident after a season of close losses, and one that began with such promise.

“It’s very disappointing,” he said. “But we’ll get better.

“This is a new situation for all of the kids, with new rules, new regulations. We’ll see how it goes.”