Blue Jays rally for win

The St. Edmund defense forced three turnovers in the game’s final six minutes and returned two for touchdowns as the Blue Jays grabbed a 44-31 win over Metairie Park Country Day Friday in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs.
“They played a whale of a ball game,” St. Edmund head coach Thomas David said of the Cajuns.
“We got down and then we made some big plays to win.
“It was a team win and we are still alive - let’s put the ball down and see what happens.”
St. Edmund (7-3) will travel to No. 2 St. Mary’s, a 35-13 winner over - Hanson Memorial.
The Blue Jays were trailing 31-22 with 8:23 left, when the St. Edmund defense took over.
Zach LaFleur picked up a Cajun fumble and raced 48 yards to the end zone.
Drew Brown ran in the two-point conversion to close the gap to 31-30 with 5:58 remaing.
Three plays later, Lathan Lyons grabbed a nother Cajun fumble in midair and followed his blockers to the end zone.
Brown again ran in the two-point conversion to push the Jays ahead, 38-31 with 4:12 remaining in the contest.
On the very next play from scrimmage, the Blue Jays recovered a Cajun fumble at the Country Day 42 with 4:07 left.
St. Edmund went 42 yards, aided by several key runs by Zach LaFleur.
Drew Brown connected with Cole Bergeron for a 20-yard play on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
Brown ran the final three yards for the insurance touchdown as the Jays led 44-31 with 1:29 left.
Country Day had one last chance but the Blue Jay defense held, capped by a quarterback sack by Ross LaFleur in the closing seconds.
The Cajuns (7-4) scored the game’s first points when Jase Griffin raced 39 yards and Charlie Livaudai kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 8:28 left in the first period.
The Blue Jays threatened but their drive was halted when third-down passed was picked off in the end zone.
St. Edmund forced a punt late in the period and the Blue Jays went 63 yards in five plays, capped with a 17-yard touchdown run by Zach LaFleur.
The two-point pass failed, but the Jays closed the gap to 7-6 with 11:56 left before intermission.
Lathan Lyons picked off a quarterback fumble in midair to give St. Edmund the ball at the Cajun 15.
The Jays gave the ball back after failing to score and Country Day went 91 yards in 12 plays, sparked by several key runs by Griffin.
The Cajun running back scored on a 3-yard run and the kick gave Country Day a 14-6 lead with 2:47 left in the half.
The Jays quickly moved 60 yards in just seven plays, aided by a fourth-down run by Zach LaFleur.
Drew Brown connected with Drake Brunet for a 37-yard touchdown and Brown ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game with 1:04 remaining.
The Cajuns started their next drive at midfield and Livaudai drilled a 30-yard field goal as time expired as Country Day took a 17-14 advantage into the break.
The Cajuns grabbed an interception on the first play of the second half but the Blue Jay defense forced a punt.
St. Edmund went 50 yards in eight plays, including several string runs by LaFleur.
Drew Brown connected with Cullen Brown for a 6-yard touchdown and Zach LaFleur caught the two-point conversion pass to push the Jays ahead, 22-17 with 7:08 left in the third period.
Country Day responded with a 60-yard drive all seven carries by Griffin including the 14-yard toucbdown run.
The PAT gave the Cajuns a 24-22 advantage with 3:44 left in the third quarter.
Country Day seemed poised for the win when Griffin scored on a 43-yard run on a two-play, 88-yard drive and the kick gave the Cajuns a 31-22 lead with 11:22 left in the game.
The Blue Jays drove to the Country Day 24 when their drive stalled with 8:23 left but then the St. Edmund defense took over.