D’IBERVILLE – Linebacker Blaine Lee gave Mercy Cross the momentum it needed with a third-quarter interception. Then the Crusaders delivered on defense on fourth-and-1 later in the quarter en route to a 42-28 victory over St. Aloysius in the first round of the Class 1A State playoffs.

Lee, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior, picked off a Chris Lewis pass and raced 59 yards for a touchdown, breaking a 21-all deadlock.

Mercy Cross (11-1) pushed the lead to two touchdowns on Jonathan Lang’s 9-yard scamper, then broke the game open after holding St. Aloysius at the Crusaders 20.

Sean Brauchle, who amassed 258 rushing yards, galloped 80 yards on the ensuing play after the defensive stand for the knockout blow with 1:11 left in the third quarter.

&#8220I read the quarterback’s eyes pretty good and I just had an instinct,” Lee said. &#8220That pick was a big momentum shift.

&#8220All I was concentrating on was that pylon and getting it in there.”

Brauchle, who also kicked six extra points, opened the Crusaders’ scoring effort with a 24-yard run with 7:50 left in the first quarter. Lang added an 89-yard kickoff return and a 52-yard run during Mercy Cross’ first-half onslaught.

&#8220The momentum started with Blaine and I just carried it,” Brauchle said. &#8220Once you get the momentum, you have to carry it. We’re a fourth-quarter team and we aren’t stopping to the end.

&#8220I’m happy to be wearing the uniform one more week. I’ll be wearing it until we get to state.”.

St. Aloysius coach Jim Taylor said that the two defensive plays turned the game around.

&#8220That (pass) was probably the worst call I made all night,” Taylor said. &#8220I studied the film and thought it would be effective. That was a killer on the opening possession. We were still in the game when we missed the first down by two inches. That really set us back.

&#8220If we had scored then, we could have made a game of it. Then they had the one-play drive.”

St. Aloysius went into halftime with a tie on a 1-yard run by Alex Halinski, a 13-yard pass from Lewis to John Robert Burnett, and a 36-yard pass from Lewis to Chip Donnell on the last play of the second quarter.

Lewis threw for 120 yards but also was intercepted three times. The Flashes closed out their scoring on a 15-yard run by Ryno Martin-Nez in the fourth quarter.

Lang gained 91 rushing yards on 12 carries. Halinski rushed for 110 yards on 21 carries.

&#8220We both play similar styles and like to come right at you,” Mercy Cross coach Rocky Gaudin said. &#8220I expected it to be like this. But I didn’t expect us to make that many mistakes.

&#8220I’m proud of our kids for hanging in there. We’ve gotten better the second half of the year defensively. Since the Bogue Chitto game, we’ve gotten a little better each week. Offensively, Jonathan and Sean continue to make big plays.”

Mercy Cross will face Puckett next week. Puckett routed Bogue Chitto 42-8 in their opening-round playoff game.

&#8220I’m sure we’ll be a big underdog to Puckett,” Gaudin said. &#8220But once you get in the playoffs, it’s a one-game thing. I’ll be glad to take my chances up there.”