JSCLA Captures History
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
They danced, yelled and then doused their coaches with water baths.
That’s what history looked like for J.S. Clark Leadership Academy on Friday night as the Bulldogs chronicled a pinnacle moment in school athletics.
Using a dominant defensive front and an offense that awoke from its first half slumber, the Bulldogs captured their first varsity football victory ever with a 26-0 win over East Iberville at Donald Gardner Stadium.
Clark head coach Jestin Kelly gave his players credit for recalibrating from the first 24 minutes when his team appeared lethargic against EIHS.
“This was the first varsity home game for our kids and at halftime I told them to settle down. I thought in the second half we got rid of the jitters and the train got rolling,” said Kelly.
Defensively the Bulldogs limited East Iberville to 108 offensive yards.
The Clark defense visited often in the Tigers’ backfield, as East Iberville was tackled 12 times for 66 yards in losses.
Clark also sacked East Iberville quarterback Elijah Parker six times for 33 lost yards.
Kelly said the defensive performance represented a significant reset, since Clark gave up 70 points to Iota in the season opener last Friday night.
“Our guys were disappointed with what happened (at Iota) and I challenged (the defense) to figure it out and set the tone for us. I thought the result was the great scheme we saw (Friday night),” Kelly added.
The final score was deceptive as the Bulldogs led 8-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Clark then took control of the final seven minutes with a three touchdown binge, after the Tigers failed to move beyond their own 48 yard line on a final trio of possessions.
Bulldogs’ quarterback Paul Lee, Jr. completed 14-of-20 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns to wide receiver Jayden Sonnier.
Lee threw for only 62 of those total aerial yards in the first half.
“It was (Lee’s) first start and we were slow getting the offense started with the penalties. I thought as the game went along, Paul got his confidence right,” added Kelly.
Derailing the offensive progress were the 13 accepted penalties that cost Clark 115 yards.
The penalties were important in stopping Clark from potentially scoring less than a yard away from the Tigers’ goal line.
The Bulldogs recorded a first down at the EIHS 1-yard line late in the initial quarter, but consecutive penalties and a lost fumble ended the threat.
Cohlen Hall ran 10 times for 96 yards and one touchdown. Austin Simon had 14 carries for 56 and one TD.
Sonnier caught five passes for 109 yards and the two TD’s, while Jeremy Sonnier had five receptions for 61.
