Plenty of local action on gridiron takes place Friday
Published 1:44 pm Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Football action resumes Friday with five teams in action across five games as the LHSAA season reaches its halfway point and the MAIS year goes into the stretch run.
Four of the five games are home games. Varnado is on a bye this week.
All games kick off at 7 p.m.
St. Thomas More at Franklinton
Franklinton is at home this week, hosting St. Thomas More in a battle of Class 4A teams.
“They’re really good,” Franklinton coach Jonathan Barber said. “They’re one of the best teams in the state. It’s going take a great week of preparation and a high level of execution on Friday in order to give ourselves an opportunity to win. Our coaches and players look forward to the challenge and we’ll be ready to go on Friday night.”
The Demons got back to the .500 mark last week and are 2-2 this season. St. Thomas More is 3-1 after losing its first game of the season last week.
Franklinton running back Mike Martin continues to have a stellar season. He has run for 468 yards and eight touchdowns this year. Martin has been consistent all year. His rushing yardage has been between 91 and 136 yards each game and he has averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry each game. Martin has also scored at least one touchdown in each contest. Martin also has five catches for 41 yards.
Quarterback Jasper LaSalle has thrown for 412 yards and two touchdowns. He has also run 21 times for 100 yards and a score.
Kian Conerly leads the receivers in yardage with 152 yards and he has caught four passes and a touchdown.
Duke Bell tops the Demons in receptions with 11. He has 88 yards receiving.
Shayland Allen enters with nine catches for 85 yards.
Spencer Lambert has caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Quaran Warren begins the week with a catch for 14 yards.
Defensively last week, Malachi Martin had five stops.
Jayonne Hart and Ben Bickham made five stops each.
Conerly, Jacob Turnage and Corinthious Dickerson totaled four stops each. Turnage tallied a sack. Conerly intercepted two passes. Dickerson recovered a fumble.
Lamar Gray had a pass defensed.
St. Thomas More, which reached the Division II semifinals last year, is No. 5 in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 4A Poll.
Last week
Franklinton defeated Tylertown out of Mississippi, 21-14. St. Thomas More suffered a 53-42 loss to Catholic of Baton Rouge.
Last year
Franklinton lost to St. Thomas More, 58-16.
Recent history
Besides last year, these teams did not play between 2009 and 2016.
Springfield at Pine
Pine celebrates Homecoming night on Friday with a contest against Springfield in District 9-2A action.
Both teams enter with a 2-2 record.
“The most important thing is getting back on the winning track. We’ve had two tough losses and we have to get back to winning football games,” Pine coach Bradley Seal said.
Seal said they had several guys out of last week’s game and they are getting a couple back now.
Quarterback Logan Temples threw for 198 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-25 passing. He also ran for a score on a quarterback sneak.
Jordan Anderson had 14 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown.
Last week’s game was tied at 14-14 before St. Helena College and Career Academy scored 22-unanswered points in the fourth period.
Last week
Pine lost to St. Helena College and Career Academy, 36-14. Springfield lost to Northlake Christian School, 6-0.
Last year
Pine defeated Springfield, 48-12.
Recent history
Pine has won four of the last five meetings. LHSAA schedules go back to 2009 and Springfield won the four match ups between 2009 and 2012.
South Plaquemines at Bogalusa
Bogalusa is back home hosting South Plaquemines, as the Lumberjacks compete in their final non-district game of the regular season.
Both teams enter the week with a 1-3 record.
“It’s been a tough run of games, playing up in class the last three weeks,” Bogalusa coach Adam Brumfield said. “I’m glad to be playing somebody, who’s got similar numbers to us this week. I’m also glad to be back home. Hopefully, them having to travel all of the way up here will be to our advantage. We’ve got to work on eliminating turnovers and being more disciplined and if we do those things, I think we’ll have a pretty good chance to win.”
Last week, Josh Taylor threw for 105 yards and a touchdown and he ran for 83 yards and a score.
Raheem Roberts made two catches for 57 yards and a score.
Jakyris Mclemore made a reception for 20 yards and Chas Smith had a catch for 20.
Tyrese Rousell ran the ball nine times for 50 yards in last week’s game.
Defensively, Michael O’Ree led the way with 11 tackles.
Charles Taylor posted 10.
Dre’Toris Mark had eight stops.
Demarcus Spikes intercepted a pass and ran it back 80 yards for a touchdown.
Bogalusa’s defense allowed just 45 yards in the second half.
Last week
Bogalusa was defeated by Salmen, 27-18. South Plaquemines defeated Cohen College Prep, 19-8.
Last year
Bogalusa defeated South Plaquemines, 26-14.
Recent history
Besides last year, the teams did not play between 2009 and 2016.
Wayne Academy at Ben’s Ford Christian School
Ben’s Ford Christian School is at home playing against Wayne Academy on Friday.
The Eagles are 2-4 while Wayne Academy is 3-3.
“Wayne is a pretty good football team,” Ben’s Ford Christian School coach Dean King said. “We need to keep doing what we’ve been doing the last two weeks. We have to score on offense and stop the run on defense. If we do those things, we’ll have a chance to win.”
Quarterback Tyler Winstead threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Winstead also ran for a score.
Tucker Keating caught two passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Justin Moore made two receptions for 90 yards and a score.
Jordan Provost had two catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Provost recorded five stops, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass.
Ernesto Woods made three catches for 21 yards and a two-point conversion.
Myron Weary ran for 26 yards and a touchdown.
Chase Penton completed a pass for two.
Jarrett Williams led the defense with 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
Preston Lee made eight stops, four for loss and had a fumble recovery.
Austin Stogner had eight tackles, one for loss.
Isaiah Bolton and Evan Miller made seven stops each.
Isaac Wascom had three stops and recovered a fumble.
Joshua Fairley had a tackle and a sack.
Last week
Ben’s Ford defeated Benton Academy, 34-8. Wayne Academy lost to Oak Hill Academy, 10-6.
Last year
Wayne Academy defeated Ben’s Ford Christian School, 36-26.
Recent history
The teams have played every year for the last three seasons and Wayne Academy has won all three meetings.
Bowling Green School at Central Private School
Bowling Green School’s Buccaneers hit the road this week to face Central Private School.
The Buccaneers are 5-1 this season. Central Private is 4-2.
“We’re just looking to get back to the basics on defense,” Bowling Green coach Boomer Nunez said. “We’ve got to slow somebody down. The injury bug has hit us. We’ve got some guys coming back. Offensively, we just need to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Nunez said they just have to get the guys’ confidence back defensively and get them playing better in the first half.
The second half numbers are better for the defense, as the unit has allowed just one second half touchdown this season.
Offensively this season, quarterback Johntae McDowell has thrown for 1,694 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has also run for 665 yards and eight scores.
Running back Larry Dillon has run for 498 yards and six touchdowns.
Kengie Gordon has 198 yards on the ground with four scores.
Rashaan Duke enters with 41 catches for 637 yards and four touchdowns.
Cade Knight begins the week with 22 receptions for 380 yards and a touchdown.
Cameron Bell has 13 receptions for 274 yards and six touchdowns.
Last week
Bowling Green School defeated Centreville Academy, 45-28. Central Private School won its game over Amite School Center, 40-0.
Last year
Bowling Green lost to Central Private School, 43-40.
Recent history
Since 2013, the teams have played every year and Bowling Green School has won four of the meetings.