After running for a first down, senior running back Austin Egan (27) is helped to his feet by junior offensive lineman Kyle Huber (63).  View the Jesuit-Mandeville Photo Gallery. The Jesuit Blue Jays (7-4, 3-1) scored three passing touchdowns in the first three quarters from sophomore quarterback Ethan Oddo (7) to junior wide receiver Beau Mothe (8) in the first quarter, senior wide receiver James Loetzerich (88) in the second quarter, and senior wide receiver Bret Beter (87) in the third quarter.  On both sides of the ball, the Jays played with heart throughout the game; but the Mandeville Skippers managed to make the best of their opportunities to win the game, 31-21, and move on in the LHSAA football playoffs. (The following article is courtesy of The Times-Picayune and nola.com.) Skippers Overcome Jesuit Mandeville QB Plaisance passes for 377 yards in 31-21 victory Saturday, November 10, 2007 By Pierce W. Huff Mandeville senior quarterback Chad Plaisance was waiting on this game. Last week when he missed the Skippers' regular-season finale because of a fractured finger on his throwing hand, all Plaisance could thinkabout was returning to play for his team in the playoffs. And in the end, Mandeville's Class 5A bi-district playoff game was well worth the wait. Plaisance won a passing duel with Jesuit's Ethan Oddo, throwing for 377 yards and two touchdowns to lead Mandeville to a 31-21 victory against Jesuit at Tad Gormley Stadium. Oddo, a sophomore, passed for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Mandeville (9-2) hosts the St. Thomas More-Ouachita winner. This was the first playoff game between Jesuit and Mandeville since the Skippers defeated the Blue Jays 21-14 in a Class 5A first-round playoff game in 2000. Jesuit was playing in its first state playoff game since its 20-14 loss to East St. John in a 2004 Class 5A regional playoff game. Mandeville was seeded 18th, while Jesuit was 15th. Trailing 21-17, Plaisance threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to receiver/place-kicker Colin Conn, who raced down field on a receiver screen pass, to make the score 24-21 in the third quarter. "We knew coming into the game that Jesuit played soft on the outside, and we thought the screens could be big tonight," Plaisance said. Mandeville drove 85 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach. The drive was kept alive when Jesuit was penalized for running into the kicker on fourth-and-three at the Skippers' 43-yard line. Mandeville running back Joshua James ran for a 47-yard touchdown run to make the score 31-21 with 1:48 left. "Our kids showed a lot of character," Mandeville Coach Guy Lecompte said. Meanwhile, Jesuit (7-4) showed it could overcome its running back issues. Last Friday, Jesuit senior Troy Mathews broke his foot in the fourth quarter of the Blue Jays' 30-6 victory against St. Augustine. Mathews was the third Jesuit running back to suffer a season-ending injury this season. Mathews was replaced in the starting lineup by Austin Egan, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior. The Jesuit student body said it best at the end of the game Friday night, “We are the Blue Jays, couldn’t be prouder...” We are proud of our coaching and support staff and the entire Blue Jay squad. In particular, we are proud of the twenty-seven seniors,  who led the Jesuit football team into the 2007 campaign. Back row (left): Connor Flint (RB), Troy Matthews (DB), Will Just (K-P), Mark Schellhaas (DB), Daniel DeVun (DB), Austin Egan (RB/WR), Scott Cronin (DB),T.J. Faucheaux (LB); Third row (left): Greg Prieur (DB), Ben Chaplain (RB),Jason Richert (LB), Anthony Stovall (DL), Preston Hymel (DB), Stephen Maffei (LB), Michael Bilalis (OL), Christian Hahn (OL); Second row (left): Ross Marino (OL), Joey Rolf (OL), Marco Salgado (OL), Jonathan Boraski (OL), Brad Bennen (DL), Matthew Scallan (DL), Dustin Stricker (WR), Garrett Gremillion (TE); Front row (left): Dan Levy (WR), Brett Beter (WR), James Loetzerich (WR).

Brady passes for three touchdowns as Tigers take 20-9 victory

Saturday, September 29, 2007

By Pierce W. Huff

After a disappointing 14-point loss to Jesuit last season, most of the Holy Cross players vowed revenge when the city's oldest high school football rivalry resumed Friday.

Mission accomplished.

Taking advantage of a one-dimensional Jesuit offense, Holy Cross quarterback Chris Brady had 332 yards offense, including 273 yards and three touchdown passing, to lead the Tigers to a 20-9 victory.

"After the loss last year, we figured we had to make up for it," Brady said.

It was homecoming for Holy Cross. Jesuit leads the series 50-37-1.

Both teams entered the game coming off losses the previous week. Jesuit lost to Baton Rouge-Catholic 16-9. Holy Cross lost to Vandebilt Catholic 42-14.

The game marked the first time Jesuit played Holy Cross outside of the city's Catholic League. Holy Cross was reclassified by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association from Class 5A to Class 4A for this season and next season.

Jesuit scored on its first possession to take a 7-0 lead. The Blue Jays got the ball when linebacker T. J. Faucheaux intercepted a pass by Brady and returned it 30 yards to the Holy Cross 7-yard line. The interceptions was the first thrown by Brady this season. Jesuit running back Payten Jason ran off left guard for a 1-yard touchdown.

But Holy Cross came back and tied the score at 7 on the ensuing possession when quarterback Brady threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Beau Dickinson. The score capped a nine-play, 85-yard drive.

Brady threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kal Bonura on a fake-reverse play to give Holy Cross a 14-7 lead with 2:50 remaining in the first half. Bonura injured his shoulder last week.

"Having him play meant a whole lot to us," Brady said.

Holy Cross led 14-7 at halftime. Brady completed eight of 13 passes for 163 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the first half. Jason rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries.

"We let them convert on too many third-and-longs," Jesuit Coach Wayde Keiser said. "You can't give them another set of downs."

Jesuit (3-2) cut the Holy Cross lead to 14-9 in the third quarter when Tigers punter Zachary Collier's punt was blocked and he was penalized for illegal kicking in the end zone, which resulted in a safety.

Holy Cross (4-1) scored the game's final points when Brady threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Bonura with 3:13 left.

"It was a great win for the kids, and the defense played awesome," Holy Cross Coach Barry Wilson said.

Final run for Chance: Jesuit sophomore quarterback Ethan Oddo hands off to junior running back Chance Van Meter, who scampers up the left sideline for a 20-yard gain in the 4th quarter of Saturday’s game against the Ellender Patriots. Van Meter, a 6’2” 200-pound junior whose powerful legs made him a potent offensive weapon for the Jays, suffered a serious knee injury when he was tackled on this play. He is expected to undergo surgery and will watch  the rest of the season from the sideline.

But Ducre only managed 10 more yards against the run-stuffing Jesuit defense in the second half. By the time Fontainebleau found its passing game, it was trailing with about two minutes left -- and just off target in its attempt to overtake the Blue Jays.