Blue Jays Experience Purple Haze in 34-14 Loss to St. Augustine

Posted November 8, 2013 / Last updated November 13, 2013

In the Jesuit – St. Augustine game played Thursday evening at Tad Gormley Stadium, the Blue Jays send in the cavalry on this play in an effort to limit the damage inflicted by the Purple Knights’ star running back, Leonard Fournette (5), who is widely considered to be the top college prospect in the country. The Jesuit pursuers are, from left, sophomore Jakirai Wiley (4), seniors Cooper Lemoine (34) and Jack Hebert (95), sophomore Mark Beebe (22), and juniors Jonathan Giardina (43, on ground)) and Justin Helm (14).

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Jesuit and St. Augustine played their 47th game of the series on Thursday evening, Nov. 7 at Tad Gormley Stadium. Each team had won 23 games with Jesuit victorious in the last nine outings. But the Purple Knights, along with their star player, Leonard Fournette, snatched a one-game lead in the series (24-23) when they defeated the Jays, 34-14. The win also gave St. Aug the Catholic League Championship.

The Blue Jays (5-5; 2-3 in district) need to shake off the Purple Haze that Fournette and company dished out and turn their attention to the LHSAA state playoffs. In the opening round next weekend, Jesuit will likely face one of three teams: Brother Martin, Archbishop Shaw, or St. Paul’s of Covington. The Jays won’t know who they play, or where, until most of the games are settled this weekend, the final week of the regular season.

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Football vs. St. Augustine, Nov. 7, 2013

Two plays later, Trey Laforge lofts a floater to tight end Foster Moreau in the endzone and finally, the Jays are on the scoreboard with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half. Freshman Corey Dublin (67), who has been a stalwart starter on the offensive line all season long, celebrates with Moreau, albeit briefly.
Coach Keiser is not satisfied with his team's performance and tells the Blue Jays in so many words. Jesuit will play Brother Martin this weekend in the opening round of District 1 playoff action. Details about the game will be posted on Jesuit's web site.
Both schools sing their Alma Mater with the Jays, as the visitors, going first.
The Blue Jays and the Purple Knights meet on the field after game.
A few minutes later, the Blue Jays are again knocking on St. Aug's door. But on fourth down and three yards to payturf, the Purple Knights' defense stiffens and stuffs the the Jays. Jesuit's defense takes the field as Coach Wayde Keiser sees something askew and does not hesitate to offer the refs an opinion.
Quarterback Trey LaForge lofts another floater into the end zone, this time to running back Chris Mills, who makes a great catch and stays in bounds to score what will be the Blue Jays' second and final touchdown of the game. Kicker Crew Jacobs shakes the bells out of his head again to kick the extra point.
At the start of the fourth quarter, junior defensive back Dillon Knight makes the Jesuit side of the stadium jump up and shout (again) when he steps in front of a Purple Knight receiver and intercepts the throw, running it all the way back to the five-yard line.
Jakirai Wiley's interception and return was one of the few plays that elicited some robust cheers from the Blue Jays' student section. Even the usually stoic Brother Dardis, S.J. cracks a smile.
The Purple Knights were moving the ball until sophomore defensive back Jakirai Wiley intercepts a pass and runs it back to the St. Augustine 30-yard line. But the Jays' offense sputters and the defense has a difficult time with Leonard Fournet (who scored three touchdowns). The third quarter clock ticks away and Jesuit is down, 34-7.
Senior linebacker Colby Simoneaux pulls down this Purple Knight receiver as two defensive linemen - senior Jack Hebert (95) and junior Stephen Brown (88) - swoop in ready to assist.
To start the second half, the Blue Jays reach into their grab bag of plays and pull out an onsides kick, which almost works. Somehow two or three Jays miss pouncing on the crazily bouncing ball which is wrapped up tight in the arms of a Purple Knight at mid-field.
After the halftime show, several members of the band break off and provide the distinct sounds for Blue Jays cheering on their team in the student section.
With the Blue Jay Marching Band providing the music, the Jayettes jump, float, and dance to a well-choreographed routine.
On the ensuing kickoff, Leonard Fournet lives up to the hype that says he is one of the nation's top college recruits. As juniors Jacob Pasquie (19) and Jonathan Giardina (43) quickly discover, Fournet is like a hard-charging bull with the moves of a ballet dancer. He is tackled as time expires and the Purple Knights take a 21-7 halftime lead.
Adrenalins flowing, the Blue Jays make their entrance on the Roosevelt Mall side of Tad Gormley Stadium on Thursday evening, Nov. 7 for the final game of the 2013 regular season. The Jesuit - St. Augustine rivalry entered its 47th year with the series tied at 23 wins for each team. Jesuit has won the previous nine games but the two teams have not played the past two seasons. With St. Augustine's 34-14 victory on this night of football, the Purple Knights now lead the series, 24-23.
The Jesuit offense is determined to put up points before the first half is over. With a first and 10 on the five-yard line, Mike McMahon (41) tries to clear a path for jjunior Chris Mills, who picks up a couple of yards on this play.
The Jays turn the ball over to St. Augustine but the Purple Knights are suddenly stymied by the Jesuit defense as senior linebacker Jimmy Mickler hangs on and drags down their quarterback.
Junior quarterback Trey LaForge cannot find any of his receivers open and is tackled for a loss back to the 25-yard line.
With Kalija Lipscomb throwing a block, Malcolm Ben is about to make his cut and take the ball to the 15-yard line.
Before the game, Coach Wayde Keiser told junior running back Malcolm Ben to "run hard." And he does exsactly that on this play late in the second quarter with the Jays down three touchdowns, 21-0.
The Blue Jays send in the cavalry on this play in an effort to limit the damage inflicted by the Purple Knights' star running back, Leonard Fournette (5), who is widely considered to be the top college prospect in the country. The Jesuit pursuers are, from left, sophomore Jakirai Wiley (4), seniors Cooper Lemoine (34) and Jack Hebert (95), sophomore Mark Beebe (22), and juniors Jonathan Giardina (43, on ground)) and Justin Helm (14).
A Purple Knight defender got just enough glove on the ball to deflect a pass intended for junior tight end Foster Moreau.
Junior running back Mike McMahan picks up some yardage on an end run.
Crew Jacobs takes a whacking while being tackled and coughs up the ball,. But the referees throw flags and call an unnecessary roughness penalty against St. Augustine.
On their opening drive, the Jays move the ball to almost mid-field but face fourth down and three yards for a first. Sophomore kicker Crew Jacobs and the punt return unit trot onto the field and in a rare move that catches the Knights offguard, Jacobs fakes the punt and picks up more than the three yards necessary for a first down. But the little guy pays the price...
Jesuit sophomore Kalija Lipscomb returns the opening kickoff and is quickly bottled up on the 15-yard line by a pair of Purple Knights.
With an abundance of musicians and flag holders, St. Augustine's Purple Knights spread out and line both sides of the field for the invocation and the National Anthem.

Jesuit High School of New Orleans