Jesuit grinds out 13-6 victory over St. Augustine

METAIRIE – Both teams entered the game Friday night with losing streaks. The added importance of avoiding an 2-0 start in the Catholic League added to the tension for Jesuit and St. Augustine at The Shrine on Airline.

The Blue Jays relied on tenacious defense and made just enough plays on offense to grind out a 13-6 victory over the Purple Knights.

Jesuit put the ball in the hands of their two bell cows all night long. While the stat line was not very impressive, the execution and result was. Senior quarterback Beau Perez completed five of seven passes for 86 yards and ran 16 times for 37 yards and a touchdown Senior running back Landon Garcia contributed with 20 rushes for 42 yards and two receptions for 16 yards.

St. Augustine (2-3, 0-2) had scored 111 points in their first two games of the season, but the offense has sputtered to only 29 points over their last three games.

The Purple Knights were shut out for three and half quarters by the Blue Jays, finally breaking through with less than a minute to play.

Trailing 13-0, senior quarterback Dawson Simmons connected on several passes in the hurry up offense to move the ball to the Jesuit 23-yard line. Simmons rattled off an 18-yard run down to the five-yard line, then connected with senior wide receiver Joshua Jackson for a two-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked, leaving the score 13-6 with 48 seconds to play in the game.

St. Augustine’s ensuing onside kick attempt was easily fielded by the Blue Jays to ice the win.

Jesuit (2-3, 1-1) capitalized on the Purple Knights offensive mistakes at key times.

The defense recovered an errant option pitch by Simmons, setting their offense up at the Purple Knights 39-yard line. Eight plays later, Perez punching in a four-yard touchdown run to put Jesuit up 7-0 with 6:38 to play in the second quarter.

Two drives later, St. Augustine self-destructed to end a scoring threat to tie the game.

Junior running back Liondell Caston broke off a 52-yard run down to the Blue Jays’ 14-yard line. Three plays later, Simmons scrambled around in the backfield for several seconds, then connected with his receiver for a touchdown. However, the play was called back due to an ineligible man downfield, moving St. Augustine back to the Jesuit 31. The Purple Knights had another big completion wiped out due to the same infraction two plays later, eventually forcing them to punt.

After sophomore Ethan Cabos’s 34-yard field goal extended the Jesuit lead to 10-0 with 11:12 to play in the game, St. Augustine again quickly moved into Jesuit territory. A 36-yard pass from Simmons moved the Purple Knights down to the Blue Jays 24-yard line.

Another drive-altering miscue popped up to stymie St. Augustine. A snap went through Simmons’s hands, and the ball bounded all the way back to the 50-yard line before Jesuit recovered it.

The Jays capitalized on the good field position, eating up over five and a half minutes of clock before scoring on a 29-yard field goal by Cabos to stretch the lead to 13-0 with only 4:10 left.

Simmons finished 12 of 25 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown, adding eight rushes for an additional 39 yards.

Jesuit will look to move to 2-1 in district play next Friday night when face Brother Martin at Tad Gormley Stadium.

St. Augustine will again seek their first Catholic League win of the season next Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium against Holy Cross.