Blue Jays ready for Cajuns

Two years ago, the Cajuns handed the Blue Jays a 37-13 opening round loss in the 2012 Class 1-A playoffs.
On Friday at St. Edmund, the No. 7 Blue Jays will entertain No. 10 Metairie Park Country Day in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs.
“We are familiar with each other,” St. Edmund head coach Thomas David said. “They are a little different now as they have moved somewhat away from the split-back veer and are throwing the ball more.”
Country Day (7-3, 5-1 in District 9-1A) opened the season with wins over Ecole Classique (35-0) and Ben Franklin (32-3) before a 20-10 loss to Episcopal of Baton Rouge.
The Cajuns then rolled off five straight wins over Ridgewood (49-6), Crescent City (56-0), St. Martin’s (45-13), Haynes (52-15) and Covenant Christian (35-14).
After a non-district loss to Central Catholic (34-21), Houma Christian’s last-second 32-29 victory denied County Day the outright District 9-1A title as Houma Christian, Covenant Christian and Country Day each finished district play with one loss.
“They try and get the ball to their play makers,” David said. “They are a good team.”
The Blue Jays won their first district title since 2008, when St. Edmund went 9-0 in the regular season but lost to Cedar Creek in the first round of the playoffs.
St. Edmund senior quarterback Drew Brown has completed 130-of-249 passes for 1,957 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Last week in the win over Sacred Heart of Ville Platte, Brown passed Marshall Arabie (117-of-190 passes for 1,881 yards in 2008) and trails Wesley Richard (2,649 yards in 2007) as the Blue Jays’ single season passing leader.
The Blue Jays’ fast-paced offense has put up 1,988 passing yards and 1,423 on the ground for a 379 yards per game average.
“We need to play smart,” David said. “We aren’t an explosive offense but we can move the ball - we just need to score when we are near the goal line.
“We have improved as the season went on,” the coach said. “We have grown and matured as a ball club.
“We battle for four quarters and we give our best effort,” the coach said.
With a victory, the Blue Jays will face the St. Mary’s-Hanson Memorial winner in the second round.
In other playoffs, No. 5 Basile will get a first round bye and will face the LaSalle-South Cameron winner in the second round next week.
In Class 3-A, the No. 2 Church Point Bears will entertain No. 31 Brusly in the first round.