DALEVILLE — Straughn junior running back Devin Scott rushed for 227 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns to help lead the Tigers to a 35-7 victory over sixth-ranked Daleville on Friday night.

Scott scored on runs of 42, 8 and 4 yards — two touchdowns coming in the first half.

His performance on the ground dictated essentially what Straughn did offensively all night.

Scott gave credit where credit was due.

“The offensive line, they were blocking (for me),” Scott said. “They were doing everything (SHS offensive line) coach (Kenneth Skipper) was telling them to do this week.

“I just want to thank them,” he said.

With this victory, SHS improves to 7-3 overall and will host Trinity Presbyterian in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs next week. Trinity beat Northside 34-14 last night. This is the first road post season victory for SHS in 15 attempts.

Not only did Scott have a good night, SHS senior quarterback Chase Short added two rushing TDs to pace the Tigers.

Straughn got on board first with six minutes left in the first quarter on Scott’s first TD from 42 yards out.

DHS answered more than four minutes later on a 32-yard TD pass from Enrique Aguilar to tie the game up at 7-all with 1:51 left in the first quarter.

Straughn held the then undefeated Warhawks on their next offensive drive, and after a nine-play, 38-yard drive, Scott punched his second TD from 8 yards with 4:55 left in the first half to give the Tigers a 13-7 advantage going into the break.

SHS wouldn’t give up the lead for the rest of the game.Tigers head football coach Trent Taylor said he challenged his defense to make one big stop at halftime.

Straughn’s defense did that, holding the Warhawks to an opening three and out.

From that first stop, Short scored his first TD of the night with 4:33 left in the third quarter, as the Tigers drained more than five minutes off the clock after a 10-play, 44-yard drive.

The Tigers led 21-7 after a successful 2-point conversion and never looked back.

“I think our kids played with a little bit more fire in the second half,” Taylor said. “The first stop of the second half was huge. I told our kids at halftime that you’ve got a six-point lead and they get the ball first. We’ve got to get a stop right there.

“They responded and drove down the field and scored and got the two-point conversion,” he said.

Again, the Tigers held the Warhawks on defense, and utilized their offensive game plan to run out the clock in the third quarter.

Scott scored his third touchdown from four yards with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter, and with Short’s PAT, SHS led 28-7.

With a solid lead in the bag, the Tigers’ defense wasn’t done yet.

On a fourth-and-four play, Aguilar dropped back for a pass, but the ball fell in the arms of SHS junior Brennan Head for an interception with 9:14 left in the game.

To add more fuel to the fire, SHS iced the game for sure as Short walked in from the 1-yard line with less than five minutes remaining.

Daleville got some drives on its last offensive possession, but it couldn’t handle Straughn’s power defense.

Short kneed the victory for three downs with 1:40 left in the game.

“I was proud of the way we played in the second half,” Taylor said. “For whatever reason, we were; I don’t certainly want to say it was the week off, because I really love that. It’s obviously something I’ll continue to do next year. Daleville had a lot to do with that.

“We just kind of wore them down there at the end,” he said.

The difference in the ball game for SHS was the fact that DHS had to play so many players on both sides of the ball, Taylor said.

“Numbers hurt them a little bit,” he said. “They play like this both ways. Still, you say they are 10-0, but still, that was the difference. They’ve got a great football team.”

Short added 25 yards on 11 carries. He was 0-for-2 in passing.

Straughn hosts Trinity Presbyterian next week.