Trey LaForge decides to keep the ball and run, picking up a first down against the Purple Knights last week.

Bulletin: The Jesuit – St. Augustine playoff game will be streamed live on wwl.com’s website. Look for the Listen Live link in the upper right corner of the website. The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. with the team of Kristian Garic doing the play by play, and Tony D. and David Kahn sharing the color, along with Brad Luminais covering the sidelines. 

View the Jesuit – St. Augustine Game Photo Gallery (Friday, November 7, 2014)

Jesuit plays a familiar, fresh, and fortified opponent in St. Augustine when the opening round of the state playoffs begin on Friday, November 14. The Jays and Purple Knights kick off at 7 p.m. at Tad Gormley Stadium, exactly one week after Jesuit emerged from a gut-check against St. Augustine in the final game of the regular season.

If the Jays are thinking past the opening game, or Purple Knights “Light,” the Blue and White could be in for a real shocker. In last week’s finale, the game was closer than the final score, 34-20, indicated; at one point in the third quarter, the Purple Knights had pulled to within a touchdown, 27-20, of the Jays. But, Jesuit held on to finish the season 8-2, those two losses suffered way back in Week 1 against Ponchatoula (24-21) and Week 8 against Archbishop Rummel (10-7). Jesuit is seeded 6 and St. Augustine is seeded 11 in the Division 1 LHSAA Select Bracket. The winner of the Jesuit – St. Aug game will travel to Lafayette to play St. Thomas More.

Buy your tickets in advance of the game at the Jesuit switchboard (entrance on Banks Street). Pre-sale tickets $6 each for adults, students, and children (ages 6-11). Tickets will be sold at the switchboard daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and in the Student Commons on Friday during lunch. All tickets purchased at the stadium gate are $9 each. With the playoffs, student IDs and season passes will not be accepted.

In their 10 regular season games, the Jays have scored a total of 357 points (averaging 35 points per game) while holding their opponents to 155 points (averaging 15 points per game).

Harrison Daste (39), Dillon Knight (28), Jonathan Giardina (43), and Justin Helm (14) swarm this receiver.

Senior quarterback Trey LaForge will most likely surpass the 2,000-yard passing mark. He has completed 138 of 236 passes (58.5%) for 1,931 yards. LaForge has thrown for 22 touchdowns. He has been intercepted 8 times.

Leading the Blue Jay ground attack are Chris Mills and Charles Jackson. Mills has carried the ball 109 times for 810 yards while Jackson has picked up 710 yards on 98 carries. Mills averages 7.4 yards per carry and Jackson is almost lock-step with him, at 7.2 yards per carry.

LaForge’s favorite receivers are Kalija Lipscomb and tight end Foster Moreau. Lipscomb has 50 receptions for 753 yards (avg. 15 yards) and he’s scored 11 touchdowns. Moreau has 32 receptions for 431 yards (avg. 13 yards) and he’s scored six touchdowns. Malachi Hull has 16 receptions for 250 yards and one touchdown; Chris Mills has 12 receptions for 176 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard TD pass-catch-run against St. Augustine last week.

Leading the Jays’ defense in tackles are middle linebacker Robert Lobrano with 115 (63 solo); tackle Hunter Robert with 71 (38 solo); linebacker Mitchell Melito with 64 (24 solo); defensive end Osman Torres with 64 (22 solo); linebacker Jonathan Giardina with 58 (28 solo); defensive end Zach Robert with 56 (23 solo); cornerback Dillon Knight with 55 (28 solo); and safety Justin Helm with 55 (39 solo). Somewhat surprisingly, the defense has a total of only 12 quarterback sacks.

“We are correcting some mistakes we made last week against St. Augustine,” said Coach Mark Songy. “I’m confident that we are more than adequately prepared to play them again. We just need to remain focused on St. Augustine.”