Salmen’s junior Jaron Adams came up with one of the biggest plays of the game and wide receiver George Williams caught 10 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-29-regional round playoff victory over Breaux Bridge on the road Friday.

Breaux Bridge (7-5) took the lead 23-21 on a four-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Hunter Landry to Layne Theriot on fourth-and-goal with 10:43 left. Salmen blocked the extra point.

On the ensuing kickoff, Adams caught the ball at his 10, found a hole and got through. With open field in front of him, he went the distance. The Spartans (9-2) were suddenly ahead 27-23 after the two-point conversion pass was incomplete.

Salmen’s Jamal Robinson (17) and another Spartans' player celebrates with Jaron Adams (23) after Adams’ 90-yard fourth-quarter kickoff return, which put the Spartans up 27-23 against Breaux Bridge during the regional round of the state playoffs and they would never look back. (Staff Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

“It was a small hole and I burst through. I needed to help my team. We were down, so I did what I had to do,” Adams said.

Salmen coach Jerry Leonard said the return was a huge momentum shift.

“Ron Ron has that explosiveness,” Leonard said. “He has the ability to take it the distance. For him to come through in a situation like that and those other 10 guys blocking for him, huge play for us. Huge momentum change.”

Following the return, the Spartans’ defense forced a punt, but the snap was low and the punter was tackled at Breaux Bridge’s 27. On the seventh play of the next possession, quarterback Matt Lipham threw a seven-yard touchdown strike to Williams. Chris Gulino’s PAT made it 34-23 with 6:31 left.

Breaux Bridge returned the kickoff to Salmen’s 29 and tallied in three plays on a nine-yard run by quarterback Hunter Landry. The two-point conversion was no good.

The Tigers forced a punt on the next drive. Josh Adams came up with a big interception at the 2:22 mark. The Spartans ran out the clock to seal the victory.

Salmen advances to play Edna Karr in the quarterfinals.

The game was back-and-forth throughout. Williams and Lipham had a great connection all night.

Williams registered touchdown receptions of four, 59 and seven yards respectively. He also had receptions of 55 and 22 yards to set up Salmen’s first TD. He caught six passes for 160 yards and two scores alone in the first half.

“George has been great for us all year long,” Leonard said. “He just keeps better-and-better every week. In my opinion, George is one of the best-kept secrets in the area. I think he’s a college-football player at somewhere sometime. I hope people are starting to take notice of him now.”

Salmen got the opening kickoff and had to punt. The Tigers drove from their 16 to the Spartans’ 15, but had two touchdowns called back by penalty. On third-and-seven at the 15, Landry hit Latrelyn Pete on a middle screen and he went all the way, but illegal man downfield against Breaux Bridge nullified it. On the next play, Landry scrambled right, stopped and threw a strike to Travin Dural for a TD, but the Tigers were flagged for illegal forward pass. They eventually turned it over on downs at the 25.

Salmen then drove 75 yards in six plays with Williams catching a four-yard TD pass. Williams helped set up the tally. On third-and-six from the 29, Lipham rolled out and threw a long pass to Williams. The ball was a little behind him and Williams made a diving catch at the 26. Then on second down, Williams caught a 22-yard pass, bringing it to the four. The Spartans went up two-plays later. Chris Gulino’s extra point made it 7-0 with 3:06 left in the first quarter.

Breaux Bridge responded with a 65-yard possession, capped off by Landry’s first of two rushing scores, this one from three-yards out. Austin Perez’s PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 9:22 left in the first half.

Salmen downed a punt at the Tigers’ 24. On the first play, Landry went up top to Dural, who made the catch and did the rest, a 75-yard scoring strike. Perez made it 14-7 with the PAT.

The squads exchanged punts and Salmen got the ball at the 1:34 mark and once again, another big play came about. On second down from his own 41, Lipham looked Williams’ way. He caught the pass in stride and nobody was catching Williams, as he scored a 59-yard TD with 1:17 to go.

Gulino provided the extra point and it was 14-14 at halftime.

Williams talked about the play.

“I wanted to go into the half at least even. So I did what I had to do to get the score,” Williams said.

Breaux Bridge took the second-half kickoff to Salmen’s 19 where the drive stalled. Perez was called on to kick a 37-yard field goal. He got it over the crossbar and the Tigers led 17-14 with 8:10 left in the third.

Salmen began the next drive at its 35. They moved to Breaux Bridge’s 18. That’s when the Spartans called on some trickery. Lipham pitched right to running back Errol Scott. He then threw back to Lipham, who was all by himself and went in for a go-ahead tally at 21-17 with Gulino’s PAT with 3:34 left in the third period.

The score remained that way until the exciting finish to the fourth period as Salmen outscored Breaux Bridge 13-12 in the final stanza.