Levi shines as Bogalusa hands Salmen first loss

HAMMOND – The unbeaten Salmen Spartans welcomed the Bogalusa Lumberjacks to Slidell on Friday night.

The home team was happy to see Bogalusa senior quarterback Ashton Levi leave.

Levi torched the Salmen defense for five touchdowns, including four rushing as the Lumberjacks handed the Spartans their first loss in a 39-20 defeat.

Levi completed 12 of 27 passes for 224 yards and a score and rushed 22 times for 185 yards and four scores in a brilliant performance.

On the first possession for Bogalusa, Levi hit Desmond Ramirez on an 81-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0. The Lumberjacks then recovered an onside kick but Salmen came up with a stop.

Levi extended the lead to 14-0 with a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to make it 13-0 after a failed 2-point conversion attempt.

Salmen got on the board and cut the deficit to 13-7 when Cameron Dorsey hit Kaileb Rayford with a 49-yard touchdown pass.

Levi answered with a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7 after Dyron Jackson ran in the 2-point conversion but the Spartans battled back again, scoring on a 5-yard run by Jacobi Jefferson and it was 21-14 with just over a minute to play in the first half.

Bogalusa got a back-breaking score on Salmen when Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a score to make it 27-14 at halftime.

It stayed that way until the fourth quarter when Levi padded the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 33-14 and put the game away with a 6-yard touchdown run to make it 39-14.

Salmen completed the scoring on a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jaylun Robinson.

Dorsey finished 16 of 30 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“We have real good kids and after a down week last week, they put it together and controlled the game. We had a couple of mental mistakes but they fought hard and showed tremendous resiliency. I’m proud of them. Ashton put his Superman cape on again. I just hope no one finds Kryptonite. He had a few drops. When he plays that well, we win. It is just Ashton being Ashton.”

Bogalusa (2-1) will host John Ehret next Friday while Salmen (2-1) will host Belle Chasse.

“John Ehret has a lot of talent and will be quite a test,” Crutchfield said. “Then we have Chalmette and Amite so we are in that tough stretch. We welcome the challenge. That’s what we are here for.”