Photograph: Jalen Reese is brought down by Kinder tacklers. (Photograph by Crowley Post Signal photographer Zander Quebedeaux)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
There may have been some obvious preseason questions about the Church Point football team, yet the Bears are finding ways to win.
Church Point is 2-0 and despite a maturing defense, the Bears have started 2022 with two victories that were achieved on the road.
The Bears used their running game and a defense that shut out a second straight opponent during the fourth quarter with a 44-36 victory at Kinder Thursday night.
Church Point began 2022 with a defense that returned only one starter and head coach J.C. Arceneaux thought his team would need offensively consistency and a defensive that needed to mature quickly.
It seems as though Arceneaux is discovering both as the regular season develops.
The Bears rushed for 442 yards against Kinder. That followed the 306 yards running that Church Point obtained in the 26-12 win last week over Eunice.
It’s all part of the same formula Arceneaux says, for a program that has reached the Class 3A semifinals two straight years with a Wing-T offense that as usual is featuring three prominent rushers.
Tylon Citizen, the District 5-3A Offensive MVP who gained nearly 1,500 yards last season, ran 29 times for 212 yards against Kinder after gaining another 123 in the Eunice victory.
Quarterback Jaden Reese, a 235-pound quarterback who resembles a middle linebacker, has the ability to throw the football and when it’s time to run Reese can gain the necessary yardage as he did against Kinder (13 carries, 91 yards).
Jaylon Reese rushed for 139 against Kinder, while in the Eunice game Jaylon Reed gained 67.
The Kinder Game
Citizen scored the last two touchdowns during each of the last two quarters.
Kinder pulled ahead 36-28 with eight minutes and 35 seconds left in the third period on a 40-yard, James Roberts run.
That advantage lasted about six minutes before Citizen broke loose on an 18-yard run. Jaden Reese ran the extra point to tie the game at 36.
In the fourth quarter as the defense prevented Church Point from scoring, Citizen added the game winning score with a 20-yard run (3:38). Jaden Reese again added a two-point conversion.
The game was tied twice during the second period after Kinder scored consecutive touchdowns on 11 and 25-yard runs by Graham Fawcett. The last Fawcett TD and his subsequent two point conversion game the Yellow Jackets a 30-22 lead.
Cornerback and returner Jeremiah Roy put the Bears within three points of the lead with 10 minutes remaining in the third as he returned a kick 83 yards for a score.
What’s next? Church Point hosts Rayne Friday night.
