ATHENS, LA — In the battle of the Eagles, the First Baptist Christian School Eagles opened their 2025 high school football season in dominant fashion Friday night, routing Mt. Olive Christian School Eagles 58-0 on the road. With Mt. Olive’s nostalgic school building overlooking and the idyllic pastures surrounding the game field, the FBCS Eagles’ run heavy-attack and stifling defense set the tone early, leading to a commanding victory.
Senior quarterback Judah Pritchard accounted for three touchdowns early— rushing for one and passing for two — while Benji Moore delivered a breakout performance on the ground, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries. Moore also added a two-point conversion, led the team in tackles on defense and was named Player of the Game.
“It’s exciting starting the season with a road win, but we still have a lot of work to do,” said Jackson Ortego, who hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Pritchard in the first quarter.
The Eagles exploded out of the gate with four touchdowns in the first quarter alone:
- Benjamin Moore – 20-yard touchdown run (plus two-point conversion)
- Judah Pritchard – 8-yard touchdown run (plus two-point conversion)
- Jackson Ortego – 15-yard touchdown catch from Pritchard (Carter McLemore two-point conversion run)
- Stephen Rowzee – 42-yard touchdown run (two-point conversion pass from Pritchard to Luke Page)
Nate Hill praised his teammates in the trenches for their dominance: “I’m proud of the big guys up front with the way we controlled the line of scrimmage.” Moore, too, was quick to credit his offensive line for his big night: “They worked hard to make holes for the backs to run through.”
Defensively, the Eagles were relentless, forcing multiple turnovers and shutting out the Mt. Olive Offense.
Head Coach Grayson Standiford was pleased with his team’s discipline and physicality. “We did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage, creating turnovers, and avoiding pre-snap penalties,” Standiford said.
The Eagles will host Acadiana Christian School Lions of New Iberia (ACS) next Friday. The Lions are looking to bounce back after dropping their opener 46-26 to John Paul the Great Academy on Thursday night. “Always good to start 1-0, but now we’re focusing on ACS. They are well-coached and physical.”
Game Leaders – First Baptist Christian School
- Passing: J. Pritchard – 2/4, 63 yards, 2 TD
- Rushing: B. Moore – 7 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD;
- Defense: B. Moore – 4 tackles, 5 assists, 1 int, 1 fumble recovery
With the offense firing on all cylinders and the defense pitching a shutout, the Eagles are on schedule. Given that Mt. Olive has struggled in recent seasons being somewhat undermanned, the Eagles should have a better gauge on their standing after this week’s ACS game.
J. Christian Lewis/AI assisted