St. Amant junior linebacker Brody Bumgardner never had such an opportunity in high school before.

With the Gators leading by nine points and holding out hope of a chance to share in the District 5-5A championship, Bumgardner helped put the game out of reach with a 56-yard fumble return with 5:25 to play to cinch a 31-21 victory Friday over Dutchtown at The Pit in St. Amant.

St. Amant (5-4, 3-2) visits Live Oak next week with a shot to earn a share of the district title following Denham Springs’ 41-38 upset of previously unbeaten East Ascension. A loss by the Spartans at Dutchtown could set up a four-way tie for the league’s championship.

“Glory to God,” Bumgardner said. “It’s a blessing. When I saw the ball it was instinct from there. Just pick it up and go.”

St. Amant jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the second quarter and then fended off a charge from Dutchtown (7-3, 3-2), which scored back-to-back touchdowns that bridged the second and third quarters.

St. Amant regained a 23-14 lead at the 7:05 mark of the third quarter on a 4-yard pass from Brock Koontz to Kayden Thodile.

Dutchtown crossed midfield with its first full possession of the fourth quarter and then St. Amant’s Kyler Rock jarred the ball lose from quarterback Brock Black. It bounced up into the arms of Bumgardner, who scored untouched. Koontz also threw the two-point conversion to Dreydon Torbert.

“We played well in all three phases, but you’ve got to give a nod to the defense,” St. Amant coach David Oliver said. “They had a few big plays.”

Running back Jourden Hickerson, one of the team’s 30 seniors honored before the game, led St. Amant with 34 carries for 192 yards.

Dutchtown quarterbacks Ethan Odom and Black combined to complete 13 of 27 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Dutchtown, which went into its final possession in the first half without a first down and 12 yards of offense, stopped St. Amant’s stretch of 16 straight points with a nine-play, 75-yard drive. Odom capped the series with a 9-yard pass to running back Haydel Becnel with 56 seconds left before halftime.

“It’s 16 points and we ran six plays,” Dutchtown coach Guy Mistretta said. “We put ourselves in such a hole. We fought. We tried. I’m proud that we fought all the way through. We didn’t make enough plays.”

St. Amant took a 3-0 lead at the 3:11 mark of the opening quarter on Paxton LeBlanc’s 28-yard field goal and scored on consecutive possessions — bridged by a successful onsides kick — to open a 16-0 lead with 5:10 remaining before halftime.

The Gators’ 14-play, 85-yard drive that consumed seven minutes ended with a second-effort run from Koontz on a 13-yard score. After a 15-yard facemask penalty was added to the kickoff, LeBlanc dribbled an onside attempt that was recovered at the Griffins’ 45, leading to Hickerson’s 4-yard score.

“The interception (by Brody Mire) gave us a short porch that we turned into points,” Oliver said. “We had a big fumble recovery at the end that allowed us to go up and held on.”