Blue Jays muscle over Trojans

After playing their best game of the season against the Point Coupee Central Cougars, the Trojans of Sacred Heart had to get back on the road and head to Eunice to take on their long-time rivals, St. Ed’s. The two teams were not only battling for second place in District 5-1A, but also for better positioning in the Division IV bracket, which will come out late today on the LHSAA website.
While most SEH fans and SHHS fans expected this game to be a close one, St. Ed’s fans knew they have had the upper hand on the Trojans for the last seven football seasons. Unfortunately for SHHS fans, that trend would continue. The Blue Jays completely dominated the game from start to finish and won by a score of 35-6.
The Trojans gambled early and came up empty and it cost them. They took the opening possession to mid-field before the Jays halted them at the SEH 47-yard line. SHHS Head Coach Doug Guillory apparently saw something that made him want to go for it on fourth down. The attempt was short lived as the Jays were waiting on it.
The stop literally put the ball in motion for the St. Ed’s offense. Quarterback Drew Brown went to work with his powerful offensive line in a hurry-up offense. They controlled the football and marched down the field. Runs by Brown and Zack Lafleur got the home team inside the SHHS red zone in what seemed like a matter of seconds. Brown called his own number and ran the pigskin in from 19 yards out for the first SEH score of the night. The kick was good, making it a 7-0 contest with 5:49 left in the first quarter.
The Blue Jays’ defense forced a three-and-out situation for Sacred Heart. From there, Brown and company went to work. The very first play of the possession netted a 66-yard run for Lafleur and blew the wind out of the Sacred Heart defense. Moments later, Brown rolled to his left and found a wide open Stone Lejeune in the corner of the end zone. The kick was good, making it a 14-0 contest with three minutes left in the first quarter.
The Trojans were muscled off the field in a hurry on the next possession and that gave the ball right back to Brown and company at their own 36-yard line.
The beginning of the second quarter showed the Blue jays leaving off where they were when the first quarter ended. Brown escorted the football into the SHHS red zone with a big run, just seconds into the quarter. The O-line opened up a gapping hole and allowed the speedy quarterback to do his thing. Just 19 seconds later, Brown hit Lejeune on a 19-yard pass play for six more points. The kick was good, making it a 21-0 contest.
Sacred Heart gathered some composure and fired back when they got the ball. Wesley Fontenot sprinted for 11 yards and that started things off. Moments later, Ellis Parrott broke for a 52-yard sprint that got the into the end zone for a score. The extra point kick was no good, but the Trojans had cracked the score board.
The SHHS defense fed off the momentum of the offense. They forced SEH into a three-and-out situation, handing the ball right back to Wesley Fontenot and company.
The Trojans got the ball at their own 44-yard line and drove the football right at the Blue Jays. Fontenot hit Grant Manuel for a big gain, moving the ball close the SEH red zone. Fontenot took the ball down to the St. Ed’s seven-yard line before the home team stood up and stopped them on fourth down. That would leave the score at 21-6 for halftime, with both teams sharing some of the momentum.
The second half was all St. Ed’s. They simply used their powerful offensive line to drive the Trojans back. Just 38 seconds were run off the clock in the third quarter when Brown got the football into the end zone. A 66-yard run from scrimmage was coupled with the extra point kick, making it a 28-6 football game.
The Trojans were forced to punt on back-to-back situations. The Blue Jays began grinding the ball again and moved across mid-field. It wasn’t long before the home team was back inside the SHHS red zone. Lafleur punched it in from two yards out for the fifth SEH touchdown. The extra point was good.
With the score 35-6, both teams conceded for the most part as the fourth quarter ran away. The Blue Jays extended their final drive with a fake punt and then went on to kneel the football and end the game.
With the loss, the Trojans are predicted to fall between 13-15 in the Division IV power ratings. That will be seen in the playoff brackets that will be released today. In the past, those brackets were released around 3 p.m. If the Trojans are 16th or higher, they would host a first round game and possibly face Lafayette Christian Academy or Houma Christian.
The Blue Jays will most likely go into the post-season somewhere around fifth of sixth and also host a first round game.