Air attack unruly as Schwartz, St. Vincent throttle Bayless in shootout

PERRYVILLE — In what became an explosive showing in Perryville, the hosting St. Vincent Indians lit a fire on offense and sautéed Bayless to the tune of 56-21 on Friday night.

It wasn’t always the prettiest affair, but both sides of the ball created some explosive plays to not just keep the undefeated season alive, but light up the scoreboard.

Putting up a season-high 56 points, the Indians maintained an unbeatable passing attack, leaning on some jump balls and quick streaks to break the game wide open early.

That 56 included another 40-point first half, putting all the pressure on the backburner as the defense cruised in the second for win No. 6 on the season.

“This was a game that the score didn't look great, but we battled,” Indians coach Tim Schumer said. “We came out, shut them down. Offensively, we executed,and made the plays that we had to.”

Bayless housed the opening kickoff as Elijah Freeman took off for a 99-yard score, but the Indians turned the burners on soon after.

On a third-down play, quarterback Nick Buchheit geared up and hit big-bodied receiver Max Wheeler for a first down, followed by a few stripped tackles and, eventually, a 62-yard score.

The first of many scores through the air for Buchheit, the first-year starter turned senior leader put his stamp on the game, leaning on his receivers to make plays and giving them a chance to shine under the lights.

Grabbing the ball right back on a pooch kick, Cruz Reitzel housed the next drive from three yards out to get the Indians in front.

By the early phases of the second quarter, that lead blossomed to 34-7, and while the offense typically had no trouble finding the end zone, the defense opened up a Pick Palooza.

While John Schwartz enjoyed a phenomenal night on offense, scoring a 79-yard touchdown through the air, his defense made an even bigger difference.

The senior two-way phenom picked off two passes in the first half alone, one going for a touchdown.

Gus Unterreiner added two interceptions to that first-half total, cutting off circulation for a Bayless offense that had its moments but couldn’t find a true rhythm.

That defense hasn’t just been a problem for Quad County Conference teams, but even power squads such as Ste. Genevieve and Valle Catholic earlier this season.

After such a great season last year, it’s hard to believe that such a talented unit could break into an even higher gear, but such has been the case for St. V’s in 2024.

Losing Semoball Defensive Player of the Year Drake Robinson felt like a loss that would be hard to stomach over the offseason, but that’s been anything but the focus this season.

“Losing Drake was big, but we brought back 10 guys that were all part of that unit,” Schumer said.

“Just plugging those guys in there and letting them make plays.”

Even so, with all the success, there are still things to work on.

The 21 points scored by Bayless felt like so much when a squad is used to holding teams in the single digits, which is a sign of a program with a pedigree.

That’s been a focal point of the Indians’ success this season: a little bit of swagger and a lot of skill to back it up.

In a blowout senior night victory, the older guys just couldn’t stand the thought of having to be pulled off the field early, but that’s just the situation you put yourself in when you build a team as mighty as this one.

For the young ball coach Schumer, half the battle is making sure these guys are prepared to live up to their potential and to paint the picture for the long road ahead.

“The varsity wasn’t too happy that I pulled them early in the third quarter, but I just keep reminding them, like, we’ve got a long season,” Schumer said. “Our season doesn't end with Bayless. We've got to keep playing these next few weeks and make sure we stay healthy.”

Next on the docket: homecoming against Cuba with a chance to make it a perfect 7-0 on the season.

With Perryville’s narrow victory against Jefferson up north, the St. Vincent Indians are now uncontested at the head of the Quad County Conference, and the air is always sweeter at the top.