Video: Curtis pierces Brother Martin defense with big passes, pulls away for 45-16 victory

 
NEW ORLEANS – The John Curtis Patriots celebrated head coach J.T. Curtis’s 50^th year of coaching Friday night with the one thing with which he is most synonymous – a win.  The Patriots used an explosive passing attack to kick start their offense en route to a 45-16 victory over Brother Martin at Yulman Stadium.

Junior quarterback Collin Guggenheim scored four touchdowns, two through the air and two on the ground, to lead the Curtis offensive attack. He was 7-of-11 passing for 164 yards and added 78 yards on 10 carries.

Joel Taylor led all receivers with 93 yards receiving on just two catches, both of which the junior took for touchdowns.

The signature Curtis ground attack seemed to be stuck in neutral in the first quarter.  The Patriots’ first two drives stalled out, resulting in punts and a realization that a change was in order if they were going to get the offense moving.

“They gave us a different look.  They gave us a look we hadn’t seen before in the first quarter,” said John Curtis Head Coach J.T. Curtis about the Brother Martin defense. “We felt like they were giving us the pass though, so we took it.”

And take it they did.  The Patriots put their signature ground attack on hold and took to the air, hitting the Crusaders for numerous big plays to blow the game open in the second quarter.

Trailing Brother Martin, thanks to a 31-yard field goal by Jack Landry, Curtis got on the board courtesy of a 39-yard touchdown pass from Collin Guggenheim to Joel Taylor to put the Patriots on top 6-3 early in the second period.

The Patriots took to the air once again on their very next drive.  Starting at their own 35-yard line following a missed Brother Martin field goal, Curtis moved the ball up to the 46-yard line on three consecutive runs.  Two plays later, Taylor hauled in another deep pass from Guggenheim and raced free behind the Crusaders’ secondary to the house for a 54 yard touchdown reception, giving Curtis a 13-3 lead with 4:20 to play in the half.

Not to be outdone with highlights, the Curtis defense got in on the act on the ensuing Brother Martin possession, intercepting Drew Martin’s first down pass and giving the Patriots the ball at the Crusaders’ 31-yard line.  Five plays later, Austin McCready knocked in a 32-yard field goal to extend the Curtis lead to 16-3 at halftime.

The offensive air attack continued for Curtis in the second half.  On their first possession, Guggenheim again connected for a deep pass, this time a 42-yard pass to Javon Davis down to the Brother Martin 15-yard line.  Three plays later, Chancee Crum scored on a five-yard run. Guggenheim’s two point conversion rush extended the Curtis lead to 24-3 with 7:15 to play in the third quarter.

With all the wind seemingly out of their sails, the Crusaders would get a huge jolt of energy on the ensuing kickoff.  L.J. Gilyot fumbled the kickoff at the 10-yard line and proceeded to race backwards another five yards trying to evade Patriot tacklers. Falling back five yards, Gilyot was able to race around the edge to the far side of the field and sprint down the field into the clear for an electric 90-yard kickoff return touchdown, cutting the Curtis lead to 24-10 with 6:56 to play in the third quarter.

Sensing a swing in momentum, Brother Martin head coach Mark Bonis called a surprise onside kick which the Crusaders recovered at the Curtis 35-yard line, giving them a great chance to cut the lead to one score.  However, the drive stalled out at the 34-yard line when Drew Miller’s fourth down pass fell incomplete.

Guggenheim and the Patriots offense grabbed momentum right back on the ensuing drive.  Returning to the classic Curtis ground assault, the Patriots rattled off five straight runs, capped off with a 35-yard touchdown run by Guggenheim to put Curtis up 31-10.

Brother Martin did not back down without a fight. Gilyot rattled off a 68 yard kick return on the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Crusaders at the Curtis 31-yard line.  This time, the Crusaders capitalized, scoring four plays later on a 13-yard run by Jaylon Spears to bring the score to 31-16 at the 1:25 mark in the third quarter.

Curtis put the game out of reach in the final quarter with Guggenheim’s fourth touchdown of the night, a three-yard scamper up the middle to make the score 38-16 with 5:45 to play.  August Berry’s 40-yard touchdown run in the final moments of the game added icing on the cake for the Patriots in a district play opening win.

In the end, the balanced Patriots offense was too much to handle. The passing game set up the rush attack which ended up with 230 yards on a 7.7 per carry average,

John Curtis will look to improve to stay unbeaten next Thursday night against a very talented Warren Easton squad.  Kickoff is at 7:30 at Pan American Stadium.  Brother Martin will look to rebound against St. Augustine next Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium.

Scoring Summary
First Quarter:
BM: 6:48 – 32 yard field goal

Second Quarter:
JC: 10:26 – Joel Taylor 39 yard TD pass from Collin Guggenheim (kick failed, Austin McCready)
JC: 4:20 – Taylor 54 yard TD pass from Guggenheim (McCready kick)
JC: 0:15 – McCready 32 yard field goal

Third Quarter:
JC: 7:15 – Choncee Crum 5 yard TD run (Guggenheim run good)
BM: 6:56 – 95 yard kickoff return (kick good)
JC: 2:48 – Guggenheim 35 yard TD run (McCready kick)
BM: 1:25 – 13 yard TD run (kick blocked)

Fourth Quarter:
JC: 5:45 – Guggenheim 2 yard TD run (McCready kick)
JC: 0:33 – August Berry 39 yard TD run (McCready kick)