Wild Rumpus in Wildcat Stadium as Blue Jays Emerge Victorious Over Central High, 17-14
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Linebacker Colby Simoneaux bursts through the offensive line to put some hurry-up heat on the Wildcats’ quarterback.
Jesuit and Central High played a long show for their fans in Baton Rouge on Friday evening at Wildcat Stadium. When the clock ran out three hours later, the Jays notched their second win of the young season by holding off the Wildcats, 17-14.
Scoring for the Jays were junior running back Chris Mills, who grabbed a short pass from junior quarterback Trey LaForge. With the extra point by sophomore kicker Crew Jacobs, the Jays and Wildcats were tied at 7-7. Seconds before the first half ended, the Wildcats took a 14-7 lead when their quarterback heaved a bomb to a receiver who had beaten the Jesuit secondary. However, it was all the scoring that Central High would achieve as the Jays rallied in the second half for a 25-yard field goal by Jacobs that cut the lead to 14-10.
With three minutes remaining, the Jays drove down the field and junior running back Malcolm Ben scored on a two-yard run. With the PAT by Jacobs, Jesuit nursed a precarious 17-14 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, the Wildcats returned the ball to midfield and quickly went to work. A few plays later, the Wildcats fumbled on Jesuit’s 20-yard line and senior Jesuit linebacker Colby Simoneaux pounced on the ball to end the threat.
The Blue Jays return to action on Friday, September 27 when Pensacola travels to New Orleans for a 7 p.m. game at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Read More
SportsNola.com: Jesuit Shows Resilience in Overcoming Tough Week, Central
Nola.com: Jesuit Gets By Central – Baton Rouge, 17-14
TheNewOrleansAdvocate.com: Jesuit Edges Central 17-14
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Football vs. Central High - Baton Rouge, Sept. 20, 2013
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Senior offensive lineman Ryan McKeough, whose ankle was examined on the field by Jesuit team physician Warren Bourgeois '74 (left), is helped off the field by teammates Matthew Blasini (68) and Andre Chaumont (46). -
The traditional singing of the Alma Mater - win or lose - is always a solemn moment for Blue Jays and their fans. -
Even though dejected by a loss on their home turf, many Wildcats took the extra steps to shake hands with offensive guard Ryan McKeough, who was getting around using crutches after injuring his ankle in the third quarter. -
The Jays were able to run out the clock and leave Baton Rouge with a hard-fought victory against a tough Central High team. Jesuit welcomes its next opponent to Tad Gormley Stadium on Friday, Sept. 27 -- Pensacola High School in a revival of a 20-year rivalry that began in the 1940s and ended in the mid-1960s. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. -
The clock shows just under 90 seconds left in the game and the Blue Jays, deep in their own territory after two plays went nowhere, desperately need a first down to keep the ball away from the Wildcats. On third down, the Jays call a daring play and Trey LaForge hoists a pass to Kalija Lipscomb, who makes a great catch at the 40-yard line. It was Lipscomb's eighth and final catch of the night for a total of 75 yards. -
Jesuit's defense comes off the field as pumped up and excited as their coaches. -
Much to the alarm of the Blue Jays, their coaches, and the fans, the Wildcats move the ball down to Jesuit's 20-yard line. But before you can say "hike," the Blue Jays' defense comes up with a huge play. The ball squirts loose when this Wildcat is tackled by Brad Davis (90) and senior linebacker Jimmy Mickler. Colby Simoneaux (54) sees the ball bouncing on the turf, and in a nano-second, closes the 10-foot gap. Simoneaux pounces on the fumble, ending the Wildcats' drive and giving the Jays a big reprieve. -
The Wildcats are not about to throw in the towel and on the ensuing kickoff, they return it to midfield, giving themselves excellent field position. On this play, the Wildcats' quarterback skirts end but can't shake the clutches of junior defensive back Dillon Knight. -
On the next play, Malcolm Ben heads for the outskirts and virtually walks those two yards into the endzone. The touchdown gives the Jays a 17-14 lead with a few minutes left to play. Ben and freshman offensive tackle Corey Dublin (67) celebrate the score. -
The Blue Jays are six yards from the Wildcats' endzone and junior running back Malcolm Ben (21) takes a handoff from Trey LaForge. Ben cuts up the middle and powers his way to the Wildcats' two-yard line. -
Chris Mills looks to squeeze through the slimmest of openings created by the Blue Jay offensive line. -
Rare Blue Jay "RazzMaTazz..." Quarterback Trey LaForge pitches to Chris Mills (25), who flips the football to senior wide receiver Quentin Marks, who sprints to mid-field and tosses the ball back to LaForge, who unleashes a long pass to Mills, who had quietly sprinted up the sideline amidst all the diversion. The pass, however, was a bit too long and incomplete, but the play showed Jesuit's offense is capable of some razzle dazzle every now and then. The play was surely exciting to watch. -
The Jays' offense dominates the third quarter, but has to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Crew Jacobs to cut the Wildcats' lead to four points, 14-10. -
Junior tight end Foster Moreau almosat makes what would have been a spectacular catch of a high throw. -
Kalija Lipscomb goes head over heels while trying to make a diving catch of a pass that was thrown just out of reach. -
Chris Mills, a junior running back who is one of the leading ball carriers for the Blue Jays, racks up about 25 yards on Jesuit's opening offensive series. -
Wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb makes a leaping catch of this Trey LaForge pass and is then dragged down by this Wildcat. -
Senior offensive lineman Mikey McCombs (74) bulldozes a Wildcat linebacker, clearing a path for junior running back Michael McMahon, who deftly slips through a lair of Wildcats. The hand on McMahon's jersey did not impede him from picking up 10 yards on this play. -
Coach Wayde Keiser has some pointers for his players at halftime, not the least of which was to remain focused, focused, focused. -
The Blue Jay Marching Band entertains with a condensed version of Yes' Close to the Edge, which is getting better all the time. -
With 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Blue Jay defensive back Jakirai Wiley (4) finds himself one step behind the Wildcats' wide receiver, whose waiting arms are about to cradle a perfectly tossed touchdown bomb. The Jays are stunned as Central High takes a 14-7 halftime lead. -
... LaForge's pass was completed to Kalija Lipscomb (17), a sophomore wide receiver, who unfortunately, fumbled after being hit hard from all angles. The Wildcats recovered the fumble with about one minute left to play in the first half. -
The angle of this photo of Trey Laforge throwing a pass projects an illusion of the ball grazing the shoulder pads of a Wildcat defender... -
Sophomore kicker Crew Jacobs splits the uprights to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter. -
Chris Mills waltzes into the endzone after catching a short pass from quarterback Trey LaForge. -
Senior punt return specialist Daron Wilford is chased down by these WIldcats. -
Linebacker Colby Simoneaux bursts through the offensive line to put some hurry-up heat on the Wildcats' quarterback. -
Quarterback Trey LaForge, a junior, has excellent protection as he fires a quick pass. -
Seniors Brad Davis (90) and Jack Hebert (95) tie up the Wildcats' offensive line allowing senior linebacker Colby Simoneaux (54) to slip through and wreak havoc in the backfield.
