BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
St. Edmund maintained the chance at capturing a share of the District 6-1A football championship Thursday night with a 26-13 win over Westminster Christian Academy.
The Blue Jays (7-2, 3-1) however still need to defeat two-time outright league champion Opelousas Catholic in Eunice next Friday night in order to potentially create a tie in the 2023 District 6-1A race.
St. Edmund sophomore running back and current state rushing leader KeVon Johnson, who has already broken the school career rushing record, continued towards a 2,000-yard regular season after gaining 219 yards on 34 carries against Westminster, (5-4, 2-2).
That effort gives Johnson 1,863 rushing yards this season. A two-yard, second quarter run provided Johnson with his 23rd touchdown this year.
Westminster, which entered the game winning two straight and four of the last six games. The Crusaders scored the first TD in the contest played at Blue Jay Field when running back Jospeh Brown broke loose on a 67-yard run on the first play of the game.
Following the Max Proffitt point after kick, the Crusaders led 7-0 for much of the first period until the Jays tied the game following a two-yard, Henry Summerlin run and Lannie Reed point-after kick with 3:35 left in the period.
The touchdown run by Johnson ended an eight-play, 60 yard drive with 10:57 before the intermission, providing St. Edmund with a lead the Blue Jays never lost.
St. Edmund outscored WCA in the third quarter with an 8-yard touchdown run by Summerlin and a 6-yard pass reception by Marcus Gradney on a six-yard throw from quarterback Kane West.
West finished the game with 72 passing yards after completing four of 13.
The final WCA touchdown came when Jamari White ran for nine yards with 11 seconds remaining in the third.
Westminster gained 142 rushing yards on 22 attempts, as running back Michael Cunningham ran eight times for 92. Crusaders’ quarterback Stephen George completed eight of 18 throws for 83 yards.
St. Edmund sacked George four times, with Jay Lavergne and Copeland Miller providing two sacks apiece.
Westminster failed to convert on all eight third down attempts, while accumulating 128 accepted penalty yards.
WCA hosts Catholic-Pointe Coupee this Friday night in the final game of the regular season.
