Lightning attack

NEW ROADS -- Electricity was felt in the air and on the gridiron, as the Sacred Heart Trojans jolted the District 5-1A world with a resounding 53-27 win over the False River Gators here Thursday night. With the win the Trojans move to 4-0 on the year and 1-0 in league play.
Despite the threatening thunderstorms that swirled around the stadium and an hour long lightening delay, Sacred Heart shocked a False River team that was averaging 34 points per game by holding the Gator’s vaunted offense to 195 total yards. Most of the False River points came late in the contest, with Sacred Heart already in control of the game and having the second and third units on the field.
Another electrifying stat that crackles off of the page is the number of rushing yards accumulated by the Trojan offense. Sacred Heart meticulously pounded the football up and down the field, garnering 481 yards on the ground. Junior running back JT Harper produced over half of that yardage, collecting 298 yards on 20 carries while scoring five of the Trojan touchdowns.
“Coming into the game, I thought we could put up some points,” stated Sacred Heart head coach Josh Harper. “It was just a matter of not allowing them to get going on offense. We came out in our jet package and scored an early touchdown and then went to our power running game,”
“Once we began to run it the way we did, we just stayed with that part of our offense,” he continued. “It did two things, it kept the ball out of their hands and it ate up the clock. My biggest concern was not to allow their best player, (Damian) Johnson, to beat us with his feet.”
Johnson, the Gator signal caller has been a two-way threat all season long and was a priority for the Trojans. Not only did Sacred Heart not allow Johnson to beat them, their 3-4 scheme corralled the Gator workhorse, holding him to only 40 yards rushing.
“The coaches and myself told the team this week that this was a game to judge ourselves by,” said Harper. “We told them to come out and take care of business and we truly did that. I was proud of how we carried out the defensive game plan. I saw us tackle a whole lot better and I thought we flew to the ball. If we can continue getting better defensively, I know we can compete in Class 1A.”
After shutting down an opening nine play drive that poked into Sacred Heart territory, the Trojans shut False River down, forcing them to punt from the Sacred Heart 48-yard line. After the kick was downed at the Trojan 26-yard line, Sacred Heat struck with lightning quickness.
Using the jet package, JT Harper took the handoff on the very first play from scrimmage and bolted 76 yards for the touchdown. The extra point off of the foot of Alec Gotro was no good, however with 8:10 to go in the first quarter, the Trojans owned a 6-0 lead.
False River answered just two possessions later. A big punt return set the Gators up at the Sacred Heart 40-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Johnson hit wide out Tyler Williams on a 38 yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good and with 3:40 left in the first quarter, False River had cut the lead to 7-6.
Sacred Heart responded on their very next drive. Taking over on their 27-yard line after the kick return, the Trojans marched 73 yards in 10 plays, capping it off on a one yard plunge by quarterback Wesley Launey. The two-point run by Harper was good and with 10:37 left to go in the second quarter, the Trojans now led 14-7.
During the latter part of the first quarter and the beginning part of the second quarter, lightning began to pop all around the stadium. After Sacred Heart’s second touchdown, the referee’s sent both teams into the locker room on a lightning delay. That delay would last over an hour.
When the teams were able to retake the field, no one in the stands knew what to expect out of their clubs. Even the coaches were anxious to see how their team would respond.
“To be honest, I was worried,” commented Harper. “I knew that they were using that time almost as a halftime and they were going to figure out how to stop our momentum. And, I did not know how our kids would come out. But, the rest actually helped us out in the end.”
Did it ever. Sacred Heart showed no let up after the delay. The Trojans would score on their first possession after coming back out on the field. This drive took only three plays and ended with a 13 yard run by Harper. With the extra point, the Trojans extended the lead to 21-7 with 7:36 to go in the half.
Sacred Heart would score one more time before the second quarter horn sounded. After holding False River on a fourth and two play, the Trojans took over at the Gator 44-yard line.
Three plays and three Harper carries later, the nimble running back slid in from 12 yards out to hit pay dirt. A missed extra point made it 27-7 in favor of the Trojans with 4:56 left in the half, concluding the scoring for both teams.
The third quarter began the same way that the first half ended, with Sacred Heart piling on the points. On their initial possession of the second half, Sacred Heart would put together a 65 yard drive that ended with a 19 yard run from Harper. A two-point pass attempt failed making the score 33-7.
The two teams traded scoring drives on the next two possessions, with Sacred Heart’s touchdown coming on a 75 yard gallop by Harper. So, at the 3:57 mark of the third quarter the score was 39-13 in favor of the Trojans.
The fourth quarter saw another exchange of scoring drives. Launey punched one in from one yard out again and False River’s Johnson hit Chase Francois for a 14 yard touchdown pass. After those two scores it was 46-19 with 6:28 left in the game.
The Trojans added a late score when Launey connected with Gotro on an 18 yard pitch and catch to bring the score to 53-19.
However, on the ensuing kick off, Williams sprinted 75 yards for the Gator’s final touchdown of the game.
Sacred Heart will next host Catholic of Pointe Coupee on Friday night.