Rummel passes, grounds Gulfport 31-0

METAIRIE, La. – Sometimes, headlines can be misleading. This one is no mistake.

Highly ranked and touted by observers, Rummel unveiled its new look spread offense for the first time officially Saturday night against Gulfport at Joe Yenni Stadium. Suffice it to say that first impressions were good.

Junior Chandler Fields passed for three touchdowns and the Raider defense shut down the physical running game of Gulfport in a 31-0 victory over the Admirals in the season opener for Rummel.

Senior and Florida commit Ja’Marr Chase caught six passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Fields completed 18-of-28 passes for 244 yards and the two touchdowns. The Raider defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, one each by Caleb Powell, Shane Brotherton and Aaron Brule’.

Under 23rd year head coach Jay Roth, Rummel has always been known for its physical offense and methodical running game. While those days may not be over, they are on hiatus.

The Raiders did not take a snap under center and passed 28 times while rushing just 22 times for 51 yards.

“After what I saw Petal (MS) handle a good Brother Martin team earlier today (40-14), I am pleased with the outcome tonight,” Roth said. “I was most happy about pitching a shutout on defense. They were huge and even though we gave up size, we handled it very well. We’re a work in progress offensively. We’re still working on improving on this new offense. I was happy with the way we executed at times. This was the first start for this offensive line as a group. There were no glaring mistakes on our part. We are playing to our strengths.”

Petal rallied past Gulfport 28-21 a week ago.

Rummel jumped on top on its second possession of the game, needing just one play to do so as Fields connected with Chase on a flat pass and he turned it into a 71-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 with 5:16 to play in the first quarter.

The Raiders could have been in trouble when Chase fumbled for a second time on a punt return and Kenson Barnes picked up the ball and was seemingly on his way for a score when senior Evan Francioni hustled to run him down from behind, stripped the ball away and got the ball back for Rummel.

“Francioni is a terrific player for us,” Roth said. “He made a great catch, fully outstretched and took a big hit and made a great hustle play on the fumble which was at a time when the game was certainly in doubt.”

The Raiders extended the lead in the second quarter as Fields hit Keirell Jackson in the flat and he raced in from 17 yards out for the score to make it 14-0 with 8:04 to play in the half. Rummel capped the scoring with an 11 play, 58-yard drive as Dwan Trufant ran two yards for a score to make it 21-0 at the half. Rummel was aided by a roughing the kicker penalty on a missed goal to keep the drive alive and took full advantage.

On the first possession of the third quarter, senior Aaron Brule’ picked off a TQ Newsome pass and returned it to the Gulfport 26-yard line. That set up a 36-yard field goal by Chris Freibert to make it 24-0 Rummel with 9:30 to play in the third quarter.

Rummel finished off the impressive victory with a 17-yard slant pass from Fields to Chase with 11:16 to play. The Raider defense allowed just 141 today yards to Gulfport, which lost Newsome to an apparent ankle in jury in the third quarter. Junior Dawson Malley took over. Newsome finished with seven carries for 41 yards and completed 4-of-8 passes for 44 yards with an interception.

Rummel travels to Pensacola, FL to take on Escambia High while Gulfport will host Picayune, MS at 7 p.m.

“We have to go back to work and re-focus for a tough road game next week,” Roth said. “It was fun tonight, fun to get back to winning.”

Though the new high flying aerial show is a work in progress, Rummel has the look of a team that should have quite a bit of fun in 2017.

**Rummel surprised long-time teacher and photographer Bill Arthurs with a special presentation at halftime. Arthurs has served in tremendous fashion at Rummel since the inception of the school, covering 52 years.

Scoring
1st Qtr.
Rum—Ja’Marr Chase, 71 yard TD from Chandler Fields (Chris Freibert kick) 7-0 @ 5:16

2nd Qtr.
Rum—Keirell Jackson, 17 yard TD from Chandler Fields (Chris Freibert kick) 14-0 @8:04
Rum—Dwan Trufant, 2 yard TD (Chris Freibert kick) 21-0 @ 1:44

3rd Qtr.
Rum—Chris Freibert, 36-yard FG (24-0 @ 9:30-3rd)

4th Qtr.
Rum—Ja’Marr Chase, 17 yard pass from Chandler Fields (Chris Freibert kick) 31-0 @ 11:16

Final Statistics
First Downs
Rummel 17
Gulfport 10

Rushing Yards
Gulfport 82
Rummel 51

Passing Yards
Gulfport 59
Rummel 244

Total Yards
Gulfport 141
Rummel 295

Turnovers
Rummel 2
Gulfport 4

Penalties
Rummel 6 for 70 yards
Gulfport 19 for 161 yards

Sacks
Gulfport 1 (Gi’narious Johnson)
Rummel 1 (Jacob Fury)

Louisiana Prep Football results from Sat., Sept. 2
New Orleans Area
Archbishop Hannan 41, Independence 20
Archbishop Rummel 31, Gulfport, MS 0
Escambia, FL 34, Archbishop Shaw 0
Jeanerette 14, Sci Academy-Abramson 6
Petal, MS 40, Brother Martin 14

Around the state:
Abbeville 19, West St. Mary 12
Ascension Catholic 63, Mentorship Academy 16
Ascension Episcopal 46, Erath 14
Caldwell Parish 60, General Trass 42
Evangel Christian 14, East St. Louis, IL 6
Ferriday 37, Alexandria 27
Gueydan 50, North Central 44
Sam Houston 55, St. Louis Catholic 38
Iota 40, Basile 7
Iowa 13, Crowley 12
Jena 46, Winnfield 13
Lake Charles College Prep 16, Pickering 7
Leesville 33, Washington-Marion 12
New Iberia 23, St. Martinville 7
North Vermilion 21, Beau Chene 20
Oberlin 28, Mamou 12
Red River 28, Lincoln Prep 13
Rosepine 35, Merryville 0
St. Edmund 35, Hanson Memorial 6
Vermilion Catholic 41, Loreauville 26

Louisiana Prep Football schedule for Sun., Sept. 3
McDonogh 35 vs. St. Augustine at Tad Gormley—5 p.m.