Patrick Ervin
Special to the DD-T
In a blowout 55-20 homecoming win over the Bayou Academy Colts (1-8), the St. Joe Fighting Irish remained perfect at 9-0 Friday night. The win also extends the state’s longest current winning streak to 20 games.
Despite jumping out to a multiple-touchdown lead early in the game, the Irish seemed flat. The defense was giving up large chunks of yards in the running game and the offense stalled midway through the second quarter. At this juncture, the passing game started clicking again as junior quarterback Mekhi Norris hit Elvis Scott on a 12-yard scoring pass. The two-point conversion failed and St. Joe led 28-7 with 5:05 remaining in the first half.
“I think we were a bit lackadaisical coming off our big game last week and all of the distractions that go along with homecoming,” said Irish head coach John Baker. “We made plays when we needed to and there are some things that we need to clean up.”
On the ensuing kickoff, Roderick Gentry recovered the ball at the one-yard line as the Colts never attempted to field the live ball. Gentry got the honors on the next play with a one-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion gave the Irish a commanding 35-7 lead with 3:03 remaining in the first half. Bayou responded on the next offensive possession as quarterback Larson Ingram connected with Jack Cartwright on a 40-yard touchdown pass. The extra point failed, and St. Joe led 36-13 with 1:33 remaining in the second quarter.
St. Joe put even more distance between themselves and the Colts early in the second half as Raphael Henry completed a scoop and score recovering a fumble for 55-yard touchdown run. The extra point failed and the homestanding Irish led 42-13 with 8:08 remaining in the third quarter.
Irish senior running back Trey Benson gave his team some balance and an offensive spark towards the end of the third quarter. Benson broke multiple Colt tackles to convert a third and 27, setting up a five-yard Norris touchdown run. The Irish led 48-13 heading into the final frame.
St. Joe’s other highly touted running back Dillon Johnson saw limited action as well but provided at five-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. The extra point pushed the lead to 55-13.
“Neither one of our running backs are injured,” Baker said. “We just had a very physical game last week and I wanted to use those guys a little as possible in this one.”
Bayou scored a rushing touchdown and extra point inside the final two minutes of the game to account for their third touchdown.
Bayou answered St. Joe’s first score of the game with a rushing touchdown of their own to trail 8-7 with 10:10 remaining in the first quarter. From that point, the Irish took complete control of the game. St. Joe opened the game with a scored and converted a two-point try and on their next possession, Norris punched in a five-yard score despite being leveled by a Colts defender as he crossed the goal line.
The two-point conversion failed, and the Irish led 14-7 with 4:41 remaining in the first quarter. On the next possession Norris lofted a 38-yard touchdown pass to A.J McCloud. The two-point conversion was good. St. Joe led 22-7 with 2:12 remaining in the first quarter.
St. Joe will end the regular season at 7 a.m. Friday on the road against Porter’s Chapel.
