Photograph: OCS fullback John Michael Jarrrell attempts to elude CHPC defense. (Photograph by Mike Curley)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
John Michael Jarrell did his best to keep Opelousas Catholic in contention for a district championship Thursday night.
Jarrell, a senior fullback and linebacker, helped the Vikings offensively and defensively clear a major District 6-1A obstacle as OCS (4-3, 1-0) opened league competition with a 30-8 victory at Catholic High-Pointe Coupee.
“(Jarrell) really had a great game for us on both sides of the ball. He’s one that I am really going to hate to see leave us,” said Opelousas Catholic head football coach Thomas David.
Offensively Jarrell rushed nine times for 82 yards and assisted a defense that allowed the only CHPC touchdown that was recorded on the game’s opening drive.
Jarrell added the Vikings’ second touchdown with a minute and 29 seconds remaining. The nine-yard run by Jarrell enabled OCS to take a 14-8 halftime lead and an advantage the Vikings would never relinquish.
It remained however a one-score game until the fourth period when the Vikings broke things open with a pair defensive plays that were turned into touchdowns on plays that sealed the victory.
Linebacker Jordan Luna and safety Mark Collins each intercepted CHPC passing attempts and returned them for touchdowns that sealed the victory.
For Collins it was his second touchdown of the game.
The OCS junior quarterback scored on a one-yard run in the second period, which helped the Vikings move within two points of the lead (8-6).
David said the pick six’s were significant in determining in the outcome.
“I thought we were doing enough defensively and offensively to win the game, but those two pick plays helped ice it,” said David.
The contest featured two teams that relied on running games.
Catholic-PC rushed for 188, while the Vikings obtained 193 yards on the ground and averaged 5.7 yards per carry.
The Hornets scored the game’s first touchdown and took an 8-0 first quarter lead when Connor Achee broke free on a 35-yard run with 7:54 remaining in the period. Achee finished the game’s top rusher (22-carries 149 yards).
“They (Catholic High) do what they do. I thought we were able to contain them pretty well with our guys up front. We kept attacking,” said David.
It was the first loss of the season for CHPC (6-1, 0-1).
“This is a tough pill to take, but maybe our team needed a wake-up call at this point. I thought though it was a real clean, physical game, like you expect when we play against (OCS),” said Catholic Pointe Coupee head football coach Vinnie Bullara.
Bullara described the outcome as “deceiving,” since the Hornets were moving the football on the two possessions before the interception scores.
David complimented the Vikings’ defense.
“I thought we really played well defensively, while offensively we did enough to win. Catholic High is a physical football team and I thought after they scored the first touchdown, our kids made the adjustment to the speed of the game,” said David.
