Jays win homecoming, 31-28

When Jack Brown nailed a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter for the Blue Jays, no one expected those three points to be the deciding margin in St. Edmund’s 31-28 win over False River Academy.
“I didn’t realize that would be the difference until the game was over,” Brown said. “It was good to get the homecoming win and our first district win.”
After the Jays grabbed a 3-0 lead with 5:02 left in the first period, the Gators quickly responded as Tyler Williams raced 91 yards with the ensuing kickoff to push False River ahead, 6-3.
The Blue Jays threatened late in the first quarter with seven-play drive that went 60 yards before a fumble stopped the drive.
Both defenses stood tall as neither team could sustain drives in early in the second period.
After four punts, the Gators began at their own 26, FRA moved into Jay territory strong run by Damian Johnson and then added yardage on a late hit penalty on St. Edmund.
Johnson connected with Williams for a 17-yard catch.
After a holding penalty snuffed a 3-yard touchdown run by Johnson, the Gator quarterback found Williams open for a 13-yard score with 1:37 left in the half.
Johnson ran in the two-point conversion to push the Gators ahead, 14-3.
The Blue Jays answered with a quick 5-play drive that went 68 yards in 62 seconds.
Peter Miller hit Brock Bieber for two catches to move the ball to the Gator 35.
After an incomplete pass stopped the clock, Peter Miller connected with Jack Miller for a 35-yard touchdown with 29 seconds remaining before intermission
Peter Miller scored on the two-point conversion to close the gap to 14-11 at the half.
After the crowning of Mallory Allain as the 2016 homecoming queen, the Blue Jays seemed determined to earn a crucial win.
St. Edmund took the second half kickoff and went 60 yards in five plays to excite the home crowd.
Jack Miller raced 25 yards for the touchdown and Jack Brown’s PAT gave the Jays an 18-14 lead with 10:26 left in the third period.
After forcing a Gator punt, the Blue Jays went on a 10-play, 80-yard drive to run time off the clock.
After a 25-yard pass and catch from Peter Miller to Jack Miller, the Jays then ran the ball nine times - capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by Luck Doucet.
Brown’s PAT pushed St. Edmund ahead, 25-14 with 2:55 left in the quarter.
False River drove from midfield to the Jay 20 and kept the drive alive with fourth down run by Johnson.
But on the next play, St. Ed’s James Ward made a diving interception at the Jay 13yard line to stop the drive late in the third period.
St. Edmund moved the ball on the ground early in the final period before Peter Miller connected with Bieber for a 31-yard play.
Bieber fumbled at the end of the run and FRA’s Mikey Rayburn recovered at the Gator 14.
On the very next play, Johnson found Williams open for an 86-yard touchdown.
The two-point conversion pass failed, but the Gators closed the gap to 25-20 with 8:20 left in the game.
The Jays would quickly answer with a crucial 4-play, 73-yard scoring drive finished when Brad Miller raced 34-yards to the endzone.
The PAT failed, but St. Edmund led 31-20 with 6:43 remaining.
False River battled back with a 4-play drive than went 60 yards in under two minutes.
Johnson connected with his favorite receiver three times on the drive and Williams scored on a 22-yard play.
Johnson found Clay Jarreau open in the end zone for the two-point conversion as the Gators closed the margin to 31-28 with 5:33 left in the game.
St. Edmund tried desperately to run out the clock with 10 straight running plays, but False River made a defensive stand on fourth down to take over at their own 24 with 1:06 left.
The Gators moved near midfield before the Blue Jay defense stopped Josh Gaspard after a short pass and time expired and the celebration began.
“This was a big win for us,” St. Edmund head coach Andy Hargroder said. “This gets us one game closer to our goal of a district title.”
Doucet finished with 108 yards on 17 carries, while Jack Miller had 98 yards on eight carries.
Brad Miller added 59 yards on six carries as teammates Brock Bieber had 50 yards on nine carries and Peter Miller had 12 carries for 47 yards.
Peter Miller also completed 6-of-8 passes for 153 yards.
Bieber had three catches for 70 yards, while Jack Miller had two receptions for 69 yards.
St. Edmund entertains Catholic High of Pointe Coupee (1-5, 0-1) Friday night.
The Hornets fell 34-6 to Westminster Christian Academy.