Pine Raiders defeat Jaguars, 47-9

Published 11:29 pm Friday, November 2, 2018

SLIDELL — The Pine High School Raiders traveled to Pope John Paul II High School in Slidell Friday night in their final regular season game, with Pine taking it by a 47-9 score.

The Raiders went into the game on a three-game win streak after defeating St. Thomas Aquinas the previous week. The Jaguars were hoping to end a seven game losing streak.

The Raiders took the lead early in the first quarter. Just 1:15 into the game, they gained possession after forcing the Jaguars to punt. Quarterback Logan Temples led his team on a six-play drive down field which ended in a pass to Blaine Polk from the 15 yard line for the first touchdown of the game. Kicker Dakota Brooks stepped up, made the extra point, and put the score at 7-0 just three minutes into the game.

The Jaguars tried to push back and set up kicker Logan Klotz to attempt a field goal from the 24 yard line. Klotz’s kick went wide and the Raiders took over with 24 second left in the first quarter.

Temples threw three passes. The first went to Markell Cotton, which he returned to the Pine 49. The second went to Polk, which he returned to the Jaguars’ 32 yard line. The third pass was again to Polk, which he returned for the touchdown. Brooks attempted the extra point kick but it went wide left and the score went to 13-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Jaguars took possession at the top of the second quarter. After five plays, the Jaguars attempted a field goal again. Klotz stuck the kick this time and the score went to 13-3 with nine and a half minutes left in the half.

Both the Raiders’ and the Jaguars’ defense dug in and forced punts. With 2:45 left in the half, Temples connected on a pass from the 26-yard-line to Cotton in the end zone for the touchdown. Brooks missed the extra point kick and the score moved to 19-3 at the half.

The second half opened with a strong defensive stand by the Jaguars, who forced a punt on the Raiders’ first possession. On the ensuing drive, PJP fumbled the snap and returned the ball right back to the Raiders. The Jaguars’ defense held up again, however, and forced a punt.

The Raiders forced another turnover on their next drive, and this time took advantage of the PJP mistake. Markell Cotton intercepted a pass and returned it to the Jaguars’ 7-yard-line.

A quick hand off by Temples to Jaheim Williams got the Raiders their fourth touchdown of the game. Temples’ two-point conversation attempt was successful with a handoff to Polk and the score moved to 27-3. Three minutes later, the Raiders scored again with a handoff from Temples to Adrianuen Johnson. Brooks’ extra point kick was good and the score at the end of three quarters was 34-3.

It was three minutes into the fourth quarter that the Jaguars put their first touchdown onto the board. After a fumble by Pine, the Jaguars recovered at the Raiders’ 5-yard-line.

The Raiders’ defense held the Jaguar for three play, but PJP quarterback and Bogalusa native George Arata landed a pass to Garrett Cavalier in the fourth down and put six points on the board. Arata attempted the two-point conversion with a pass to Cavalier again, but it was incomplete and the score remained 34-9.

The following kickoff was returned to the Pine 19. Temples passed to Cotton down to approximately the 39. Cotton broke through the defense and ran the rest of the way for a touchdown. Brooks’ extra point kick went wide and the score was 40-9.

On the next possession, PJP fumbled the kickoff return and Pine recovered at the Jaguars’ 12. From there, Temples handed off to Johnson who pushed through up the middle and put the final touchdown on the board. Brooks made the extra point kick and the final score was 47-9.

“We did well in all three phases,” Pine coach Bradley Seal said. “Some big plays on special teams. It’s a big win to go into the playoffs with.”

Pine finished the 2018 regular season with a record of 7-3. It was the best regular-season record in the football program’s history.

John Glover wrote this story for The Daily News.