Blue Jays Are Shut Out in Second Half as Curtis Rallies for a Win, 24-16

Posted October 11, 2015 / Last updated October 13, 2015

Jays Need to Shake Off Third District Loss and Focus on the Raiders This Saturday at Tad Gormley

On third and nine in the first series for Jesuit, quarterback Peter Hontas completes a short pass to Malachi Hull, who escapes these Patriots to pick up a first down and more.

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Different teams, absolutely. Different venue, definitely. Different circumstances, for sure. Different outcome, unfortunately yes for the Blue Jays.

Week 6 of the 2015 season brought Jesuit and John Curtis together at Joe Yenni Stadium for the first time since squaring off for the Division 1 state championship last December in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Jesuit fans know the outcome of that first encounter against the River Ridge school whose football squad is renowned for having won more state titles than any prep team in the country.

With the ball on the Patriots’ 15-yard line, Peter Hontas throws into the end zone where Kalija Lipscomb makes a leaping reception for the Jays’ first touchdown. Crew Jacobs hits the PAT and with two minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Jays are on top, 7-0.

Friday night’s game in Metairie was a rematch as well as the first time the two teams were playing for a district win. Curtis moved up in LHSAA classification (from 4A to 5A) and is one of the schools in the Catholic League. Coming into the game, the Pats were 3-1 overall and 0-1 in district, having lost to Brother Martin two weeks ago before enjoying a bye weekend. The Jays, meanwhile, were 2-3 overall and winless two weeks into district play. The Jays’ Homecoming was spoiled by a surprisingly tenacious St. Aug team, 34-20, and in the annual Rivalry against Holy Cross last week, Jesuit lost 28-21 in double overtime.

The only certainty about Friday night’s game was that one team would leave with its first win in the Catholic League. If only the Jesuit – Curtis game had ended at the conclusion of the first half, when the Blue Jays took a 16-7 lead into the locker room. But that would be fantasy prep football.

The Jays did, indeed, command much of the first half with big plays on offense and defense, jumping out to a 7-0 lead near the end of the first quarter when quarterback Peter Hontas found Kalija Lipscomb in the end zone for a 15-yard TD. Crew Jacobs added the PAT.

As Crew Jacobs punts, his protector, Zack Robert, levels this would-be blocker.

Midway through the second quarter, Hontas connected with Lipscomb for a second touchdown, a 35-yard reception with the senior wide receiver hugging the sideline for the final 10 yards into the end zone. Although Jacobs missed the PAT, his first of the season (he’s successfully kicked 15 of 16 extra points), the Jays had a 13-0 lead.

The Patriots, however, marched down the field and in nothing flat, made it a 13-7 ball game. With two minutes left in the second quarter and a drive fizzling on the Patriots’ 10-yard line, Jacobs came in on fourth and five to kick a 32-yard field goal — right through the uprights, and Jesuit led 16-7 at halftime.

The second half is a completely different story. That’s because the Patriots and the Jays looked like different teams. It’s as if the two teams made simultaneous balance transfers, the Patriots playing like the Jays did in the first half and the Jays stumbling worse than the Pats did. On the first play from scrimmage, Curtis scored on an 80-yard touchdown run to pull to within two points, 16-14. The Patriots controlled possession of the ball and added another touchdown in the fourth quarter, followed by a field goal. The final score: Patriots 24, Blue Jays 16. It was the first time in many a game that the Jays were shutout in the second half.

Kai Rozas busts through the Patriots’ defense and is brought down by their secondary.

“We made mistakes and we didn’t play well offensively in the second half,” said Coach Mark Songy. “We couldn’t get things together because our offense was off the field quite a bit. My hat’s off to Curtis because they’re a very good football team and very well coached. I’m proud of the fact that our kids fought as hard as they did.”

The fight will be even tougher next week when the Blue Jays host Rummel on Saturday, Oct. 16. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. at Tad Gormley Stadium. Week 7 will be here soon enough and the Jays’ first district win cannot arrive any faster.

Read More…

The New Orleans Advocate: John Curtis rallies past Jesuit for first Catholic League win

Nola.com: Behind Devon Benn’s 3 TDs, John Curtis beats Jesuit for first-ever Catholic League win

Galleries

Football 2015 (Week 6): Jesuit (16) vs. John Curtis (24); Joe Yenni Stadium; Friday, October 9

The second half is a completely different ball game for both teams compared to the first 24 minutes. On the first play of the third quarter, Curtis scores on an 80-yard run, then kicks the PAT to close the gap to two points, 16-14.
Quarterback Peter Hontas runs over to congratulate Kalija Lipscomb, who has four touchdown receptions so far this season.
Kai Rozas carried the ball seven times for 89 yards. On this play, he busts through the defensive line...
... Kai Rozas is brought down by the Patriots' defensive backs after picking up a first down.
Kai Rozas has a pack of Patriots chasing him on this run. So far this season, Rozas has a total of 26 carries for 164 yards, an average of 6.3 yards.
Kalija Lipscomb has to outjump his defender to snag this pass from Peter Hontas...
... Kalija Lipscomb holds on as he comes down hard. The play gives the Jays a first down inside the Pats' red zone.
When the Jays can't get the ball into the end zone with three minutes remaining in the second quarter, Crew Jacobs comes in, and with Denny McGinnis holding, boots a 28-yard field goal to pad Jesuit's lead, 16-7.
A perfect pooch kick by Crew Jacobs on the ensuing kickoff after his field goal is fumbled by the Patriots. Despite four Blue & White jerseys, Curtis recovers.
As halftime ends, the drum corps unit of the Blue Jay Marching Band injects a spirit beat into the crowd of students.
The front line of The Boosters makes some noise.
The touchdown reception is the longest one of the year for Kalija Lipscomb and the second TD of the game for the senior.
The Jays' offense just can't get going in the second half. The running game was limited to 27 yards in the second half. When the offense can't move the ball, Crew Jacobs comes in to punt. As he kicks it away, his protector, Zack Robert, levels this would-be blocker.
“We made mistakes and we didn’t play well offensively in the second half,” said Coach Mark Songy. “We couldn’t get things together because our offense was off the field quite a bit."
The Patriots consume more than nine minutes with a drive that culminates in a touchdown by the Patriots' running back, who dives over from the two-yard line. With the PAT, John Curtis takes the lead from Jesuit, 21-16.
Peter Hontas is sacked on third and nine.
Jesuit's Cheerleaders try hard to keep The Boosters' spirit up.
Peter Hontas's pass to Kalija Lipscomb is almost intercepted by this Patriots' defender.
Ten minutes later, Peter Hontas's pass to Kalija Lipscomb is intercepted by the Pats. Hontas completed 11 of 20 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
The two teams meet on the field. The Jays' total offense was 353 yards while John Curtis had only 216 yards.
The traditional singing of the Alma Mater.
The Blue Jays are 2-4 overall and 0-3 in district play. Jesuit will host Rummel on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Tad Gormley Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WGSO-990AM Radio. Jesuit's broadcast team will be alumnus Danny Riehm '02 and Blue Jay coach and teacher Nick Nolfe. The game will also be streamed live on SportsNola.com.
On third down and seven, Peter Hontas looks for an open receiver. He spots Kalija Lipscomb in the end zone...
The Blue Jays run onto the field at Joe Yenni Stadium, where they are playing John Curtis, their opponent in the state championship game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome last December. This is only the second game between the two schools' football teams.
The trio of captains for Week 6's game is: Peter Hontas (15), Mark Beebe (22), and Zack Robert (92), who calls heads and heads it is. The Jays elect to get the ball immediately,
Connor Prouet takes a handoff from Peter Hontas and spots a hole, but it closes quickly.
On third and nine in the first series for Jesuit, quarterback Peter Hontas completes a short pass to Malachi Hull, who escapes these Patriots to pick up a first down...
... The play covers 36 yards and is one of Malachi Hull's best runs of the year.
Zach Young catches a pass in the flat, the first of his three receptions totaling 12 yards.
Kai Rozas sees an opening...
... And takes off! Kai Rozas runs 34 yards, his longest of the year, and is finally brought down around the 15-yard line.
The Boosters like that their Blue Jays are looking good in the first quarter.
Connor Prouet gets the Jays a little closer to the Patriots' goal line. Prouet had 22 carries for a total of 89 yards.
Blue Jays get primed to break the barrier as the Jesuit Cheerleaders patiently form an entrance corridor.
... Kalija Lipscomb makes a leaping reception for the Jays' first touchdown...
... Kalija Lipscomb holds on tight as the Patriots try to strip him of the ball.
Crew Jacobs hits the PAT and with two minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Jays are on top, 7-0.
Jesuit's defense has its hands full trying to contain this Patriot running back, who escapes from Patrick Spiers (19), Mark Beebe (22), and Cameron Crozier (54). He's finally brought down inside the Jays' red zone by Jakirai Wiley.
The Jays are making Curtis work to light up the scoreboard. Patrick Spiers (19), Zack Robert (92), and Jacob Baxter (44) swarm this Patriot runner behind the line of scrimmage to deny Curtis a first down.
Assistant coach Troy Baglio, who is Jesuit's defensive coordinator, talks to his players while Jesuit's offense is on the field.
Kalija Lipscomb races down the sideline and has two steps on his defender (not #38, but one who's not in the picture). Around the 15-yard line, Peter Hontas's pass falls perfectly into the wide receiver's hands...
... Kalija Lipscomb sprints towards the end zone, making sure he remains in bounds...
... Kalija Lipscomb reaches the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown that pads the Jays' lead to 13-0 (the PAT was missed).