Young Players Shine For JSCLA
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
An introduction to the varsity football lights contained its share of positives and negatives for J.S. Clark Leadership Academy on Thursday night, but what head coach Jestin Kelly likes most is the overall picture that he saw from many of his younger performers.
A varsity jamboree game at Donald Gardner Stadium ended scoreless against LaGrange, but what has Kelly optimistic is how his junior varsity handled Livonia and LaGrange during that portion of the event.
“Overall I saw a lot of positives. There were the mistakes too. What I like is we are not going backwards,” said Kelly, who is guiding the Bulldogs during their first complete varsity football season.
The series of contests with Livonia and LaGrange provided Kelly with a chance to see junior quarterback Paul Lee, who performed well enough to solidify the starting position for the season opener next Friday night at Iota.
“I thought he looked good out there. Our previous starter there (Kevin Johnwell) is going to start for us now at outside linebacker and defensive end. (Johnwell) looked really good at those positions in the jamboree,” said Kelly.
Kelly added that his players are beginning to realize the difference between last season and 2026 when the Bulldogs play 10 regular season varsity games.
“What I’m seeing is we need to stay more focused. Now that we are an all-varsity football program, we are going to realize that we have to get ready to play for the next play, stay focused and most of all finish the play,” Kelly said.
Clark also experienced too many penalties, Kelly said.
The Bulldogs were in the red zone when regulation ended in the varsity jamboree against LeGrange, said Kelly.
