Blue Jays, SH-VP go head-up for second place in district

An old, traditional rivalry will be continued Friday night when the St. Edmund Blue Jays host the Sacred Heart Trojans in a battle of two of the top three teams in district 5-1A.
The Blue Jays and the Trojans will likely determined sole possession of second place in the district, although an unexpected loss by current district leader Pointe Coupee Central could allow the winner to claim a tie of the district title.
Blue Jays’ head coach Thomas David knows that the game is a big one regardless of the implications regarding the district. “This is a big rivalry and both teams want to get some momentum heading into the state playoffs.”
The Blue Jays enter their final regular season game with an overall record of 6-3 and a district mark of 3-1. The Trojans, who have played one less game, own a 5-3 overall record and a 5-1A mark of 3-1.
The Trojans are coming off a tough 26-20 overtime loss to Pointe Coupee Central, while the Jays breezed through a 47-0 victory over False River Academy last Friday.
Both teams tore through the district schedule, with the exception of the losses to Pointe Coupee Central. Non-district losses for each team came in the early part of the season, with the Blue Jays falling on the road at Rayne (45-19) and Basile (29-22), and the Trojans dropping game to Basile (27-6) and Opelousas Catholic (28-0).
Coach David praised the perseverance of his team this season. “The kids have done a great job”, he said. “We’ve had to overcome a lot of injuries and we’ve had kids step in and deliver. It’s a credit to our senior leadership in the way the team has responded.”
Quarterback Drew Brown has been an offensive force for St. Edmund this season as a dual threat. Brown has rushed 143 times for a net gain of 841 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the passing game, Brown has completed 106 of 187 passes for 1,384 yards and 21 touchdowns.
“Drew has played in our system for four years and can think on his feet,” explained Coach David. “He’s done a great job this season.”
Zach LaFleur aids Brown in the rushing game, having rushed 101 times for 727 yards and seven touchdowns. Stone LeJeune lead the receiving corps with 30 receptions for 449 yards and eight touchdowns. Chase Dupre and Alex Hunt have 28 receptions each, combining for eight touchdowns.
On defense, LaFleur and LeJeune lead the Jays with three and two interceptions, respectively. “Our defense has given up some plays, but we’ve gotten better in creating turnovers,” commented Coach David.
David expects the game to be a good one. “Sacred Heart has a good team with good athletes. They’ll play hard from whistle to whistle.”