Football Overcomes 12-Point Deficit, Beats Central (BR) 35-19

Posted September 17, 2018 / Last updated September 21, 2018

In a 35-minute stretch Jesuit scored 35 unanswered points after trailing to Central (BR), 12-0, to start the second quarter. A last-minute Wildcat touchdown made the result a 35-19 Blue Jay victory. Jesuit (2-1) captured its first road win with three rushing and two passing touchdowns; but a clutch special teams play was, without question, the momentum-shifting turning point of Friday night’s game at a packed Wildcat Stadium.

It was senior defensive captain Matthew Sauviac who recovered the fumble on a muffed punt in the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays were leading 21-12 as the Wildcats were back in position to make it a one-possession game. Central (0-3) would have started the drive at midfield, but instead the Blue Jays took over and quickly scored on a 10-yard Brayton Whittington run. Whittington ran in for his second touchdown on the final Blue Jay possession.

The two best pass plays of the game came on the Jays’ first and third scores of the first half. Early in the second quarter, quarterback Robert McMahon rolled right, fooling the defense into thinking the play was designed to that direction. With what seemed like 21 players on one half of the field, McMahon threw it back to a wide-open Rader Jackson on the opposite field. Jackson caught the ball, ran 15 yards, and dove while reaching the ball over the pylon. The third and final touchdown of the half, a 39-yard pass from McMahon, saw the best catch of the game made by senior receiver Noah Varnado in triple coverage!

Through the Lens…

GAME-CHANGER: Senior Matthew Sauviac (#48) recovers a fumble on a muffed punt. The clutch special teams play led to Jesuit’s first 4th-quarter touchdown and improved the lead to 28-12.

View the Photo Gallery of the Jesuit-Central Football Game

By the Numbers…

Jesuit: 306 yards of total offense (93 passing, 213 rushing)
Central (BR): 330 yards of total offense (120 passing, 210 rushing)

Passing: Robert McMahon, 9-10, 93 YDS, 2 TD.
Rushing: Brayton Whittington, 18 CAR, 81 YDS, 2 TD; Robert McMahon, 15 CAR, 101 YDS, 1 TD; Rader Jackson, 2-24; Will Moran, 1-8
Receiving: Noah Varnado, 2 REC, 43 YDS, TD; Rader Jackson, 1-17, TD; Luke Laforge, 4-29, Brendan Berggren, 2-4

Scoring Summary

FIRST QUARTER		JHS	Central
	TD Parker Evans 56-yard pass from Kenerson Extra Point No Good	0	6
	TD Isaiah Rankins 2-yard run 2-Pt Conversion No Good	0	12
SECOND QUARTER
	TD 6:40 Rader Jackson 17-yard pass from Robert McMahon Scheurich Extra Point Good	7	12
	TD 2:51 R. McMahon 41-yard run Scheurich Extra Point Good	14	12
	TD 0:59 Noah Varnado 39-yard pass from Robert McMahon Scheurich Extra Point Good	21	12
THIRD QUARTER – NO SCORING		21	12
FOURTH QUARTER
	TD Brayton Whittington 10-yard run Scheurich Extra Point Good	28	12
	TD Brayton Whittington 20-yard run Scheurich Extra Point Good	35	12
	TD 1:05 Le’Derrick Thomas 26-yard pass from Kenerson	35	19

In Their Words…

“We knew that their quarterback was a special player who could pop from everywhere,” head coach Mark Songy said when asked about the run defense. “We’re either going to stop the pass or stop the run, and we were good on the back end when he chose to tuck the ball and run.”

Central’s head coach Sid Edwards, who coached Jesuit the year after Hurricane Katrina, said of the Blue Jays, “They’re a disciplined football team. I don’t think they had any panic in them at all.”

On the Horizon…

Jesuit takes on the St. Augustine Purple Knights (3-0) on Saturday night at Tad Gormley Stadium for its week-4 game. The Knights scored a game-winning touchdown to beat Kennedy, 43-36, at Tad Gormley on Friday, Sept. 14. The Jesuit-St. Aug game kicks off at 7:00 p.m.

Galleries

Week 3: Jesuit (35) at Central Baton Rouge (19), Wildcat Stadium, Sept. 14, 2018

The Blue Jay Band, led by drum major William Mentz, plays from the bleachers as the Friday afternoon sun sets.
The Jayettes perform simultaneously with the Blue Jay Band.
Cornerback Vincent Logiudice makes a big stop at the half-yard line to prevent Central from converting the 2-point try.
Sophomore kick returner Luke Besh finds a hole and returns the kick all the way to the 50-yard line.
Quarterback Robert McMahon completes the sideline pass. McMahon had a 100% completion percentage through the first half and threw his first incomplete pass with 11:09 left in the game. He finished 9-10 with 93 passing yards.
Center Brian Balestra snaps the ball and blocks the Central lineman head on.
McMahon finds sophomore receiver Luke Laforge and completes the pass...
...with solid accuracy.
Running back Brayton Whittington attempts a stiff arm to gain some extra yardage.
Laforge breaks a tackle and gets the first down.
Rader Jackson catches a slip pass from McMahon,...
...sees the open field,...
...and dives while reaching the ball to the pylon for Jesuit's first touchdown!
Linebacker Matthew Sauviac chases down the ball carrier.
McMahon sprints past defenders...
...and scores on a 41-yard touchdown run!
Trumpeter William Bostick performs during the halftime show.
Jesuit's cheerleading team takes a photo with Central's cheerleaders after they performed together in front of Central's student section.
On the biggest play of the fourth quarter, punter Max Scheurich kicks the ball from Jesuit's 5-yard line to...
...midfield, where the Wildcat punt returner muffs the punt.
Senior Matthew Sauviac (#48) recovers a fumble on a muffed punt. The clutch special teams play led to Jesuit's first 4th-quarter touchdown, scored by ...
...running back Brayton Whittington.
Whittington falls backward into the end zone!
BIG PLAY: On a play that started on Jesuit's own 28-yard line, McMahon keeps the option read and runs all the way to the Wildcat 35-yard line. After a late-hit penalty was called, the 52-yard play brought Jesuit to the red zone right at the 20-yard line.
Whittington scores his second touchdown thanks to strong blocking at the line.
Senior receiver Noah Varnado pumps his fist after the victory and before the team gathered for...
...the alma mater.
The loyal Gizzard celebrates after the road win.
Sophomore Tripp Haddad (#19) catches a breath in the huddle after the game.

Jesuit High School of New Orleans