Running tandem leads Karr to victory over McDonogh 35

NEW ORLEANS – The streak continues … and it has reached double figures.

Karr, behind a bruising running game and some friendly bounces, took a 35-20 victory over McDonogh 35 in a marquee non-district showdown Thursday night at Tad Gormley Stadium.

Karr running backs Ahmad Antoine and Ronnie Jackson combined for 350 yards and three touchdowns in knocking off the Roneagles for the third time in 11 months and the 10th consecutive time in the series.

Antoine carried 19 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clinching 14-yard score in the final minute, while Jackson had 143 yards on 26 attempts with a TD.

Karr was seemingly in control after building a 28-6 lead with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter, but McDonogh 35 rallied.

Roneagles running back Eddie Tillman raced 73 yards for a touchdown on the first play after the kickoff. The two-point try failed.

On the ensuing kickoff, a squib kick made it through the Karr kickoff team and was recovered by McDonogh 35’s Steveland Williams at the Karr 18.

Four plays later, Joe Foucha ran 4 yards out of the Wildcat formation for his second touchdown of the night, then went up the middle for the two-point conversion to make it 28-20 with 1:04 left in the third quarter.

The Roneagles got a fourth-down stop inside their 30-yard line with 8:26 remaining, and on the first play after the defensive stand, Caleb Ezidore’s 51-yard catch-and-run put the McDonogh 35 offense in business at the Karr 26.

Karr defensive back Quindell Johnson tackled Lejohn Howard on fourth-and-3 at the 19 to give Karr the ball with 6:35 remaining.

Looking to play keep-away with a one-score lead, the Cougars used up all but 33 seconds of the clock on a 14-play, 81-yard drive, all on the ground, with Antoine getting the final 14 yards for the clincher.

All told, Karr gained 380 yards on the ground. The Cougars outgained the Roneagles 412-280.

Karr dominated in the first quarter, rushing for 176 yards in the game’s first 12 minutes.

After failing on fourth down inside the 20 on the game’s first possession, Karr capitalized the next two times it had the football.

Jackson’s 11th touchdown run of the year, a 1-yard plunge, capped a 47-yard, eight-play drive as the Cougars took a 7-0 lead with 3:51 left in the first quarter.

On Karr’s next possession, Antoine exploded for an 86-yard run to make it a 14-0 Cougar lead.

McDonogh 35 responded on the legs of Foucha, whose kickoff return gave the Roneagles field position and his 10-yard run from the Wildcat capped a six-play, 46-yard drive with 10:10 left in the second quarter. The point after try failed, leaving the deficit at 14-6.

The Roneagles missed a chance to pull closer before half, but a wide-open Lawrence Keys lost out on a sure touchdown when a pass from Howard bounced off his face mask.

Two plays later, it was another unlucky 35 bounce that gave the ball back to Karr. A Howard pass went off the hands of a Roneagle receiver and then off the leg of Karr defensive back Chance Carroll before landing in the waiting arms of the Cougars’ Bilal Muhammad.

Karr quarterback Skylar Perry converted the takeaway into points six plays later when he kept on the read option and went 12 yards for the touchdown to give the Cougars a 21-6 halftime lead.

On its opening drive of the second half, the Cougars went 67 yards in 11 plays. Khalfani Simmons’ 15-yard touchdown catch off a deflection on fourth-and-11 capped the drive.

Louisiana Prep Football Schedule for Thursday, Oct. 5

New Orleans Area

John Ehret 67, Bonnabel 0
Helen Cox 41, McMain 0
Riverdale 42, Fisher 0
Hahnville 49, Pearl River 7
Salmen 34, Franklinton 33
Fontainebleau 12, Hammond 7
Karr 35, McDonogh 35 20
Mandeville 28, Northshore 21
Independence 41, Northlake Christian 7
Loranger 41, Port Allen 0
Riverdale 42, Fisher 0
Slidell 28, Ponchatoula 14
Vandebilt Catholic 41, Ellender 35

Around the state

Byrd 43, Southwood 13
Merryville 22, Grand Lake 14
Cecilia 45, Opelousas 21
Episcopal 56, The Church Academy 12
Gueydan 42, Centerville 33
Welsh 21, Jennings 13
Leesville 42, Buckeye 7
McKinley 28, Broadmoor 6
St. Mary’s 56, Montgomery 6
South Terrebonne 34, Morgan City 20
East Beauregard 30, Oakdale 13
Cedar Creek 42, Ouachita Christian 18
Pine Prairie 42, Mamou 8
Loranger 41, Port Allen 0
Woodlawn (BR) 38, St. Michael 7
Lake Arthur 21, Ville Platte 20
DeRidder 34, West Ouachita 23
Catholic (NI) 73, West St. Mary 6
Haynesville 22, Green Oaks 16
Lake Charles College Prep 31, South Beauregard 10