LAFAYETTE, LA — John Paul the Great Academy scored early and often Friday night, rolling past Southwest Louisiana Homeschool Athletics 54–14 in conference play. The Guardians never trailed and leaned on their powerful rushing attack to secure another win at home.
Fast Start and Steady Control
JPG exploded out of the gate with 24 first-quarter points, setting the tone for the night. By halftime, the Guardians led 32–14 after Southwest managed two late second-quarter touchdowns. JPG tightened down after the break, holding the visiting Crusaders scoreless in the second half while adding 22 more points of their own.
Head Coach Barrett Richard emphasized that the score didn’t tell the whole story:
“It was a tough football game. Regardless of what the score shows, they’re a good team with a lot of athletes and a wide playbook. They came to play, and we got their best shot. I’m proud of my boys for answering that challenge.”
Offensive Firepower
The Guardians’ offense racked up 396 rushing yards on 35 carries — a stunning 11.3 yards per attempt averaging greater than a first down with most carries.
- Riley Lormand (Jr.) was unstoppable, piling up 285 yards and five touchdowns on 15 carries (19.0 avg), including an 80-yard sprint. He also caught three passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, finishing with six total scores.
- Quarterback Daniel Charpentier (Jr.) added 62 rushing yards and completed all four of his passes for 26 yards and a touchdown.
- Sophomores Luke Salvatierra (29 yards), Matthew Guidry (6 yards), and junior Jonah Petitt (14 yards) chipped in to keep the chains moving.
Coach Richard highlighted Lormand’s all-around performance:
“Riley had a phenomenal game. From start to finish on both sides of the ball, he led his team. He ran the ball tremendously, played lights-out at middle linebacker, and even moved to corner when we needed it. He just had a great game.”
Defense Steps Up
JPG’s defense swarmed, totaling 57 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks.
- Dominic Cramer (Jr.) was disruptive in the trenches, racking up 12 tackles, six tackles for loss, and three sacks with two quarterback hurries.
- Elliot Patrick (Fr.) added 1.5 sacks, while Maximus Stewart (Jr.) and Cramer each pressured the quarterback into mistakes.
- Jonah Petitt (Jr.) snagged a 31-yard interception return, while Stewart also blocked a punt.
Richard praised his defensive front:
“Defensively, I thought we did a good job in coverage, and our defensive line got pressure on the quarterback. Dom Cramer had a phenomenal game. He’s strong, aggressive, and tough to block. My guys played very well defensively.”
Keys and Takeaways
Southwest challenged JPG with athletic playmakers and a standout kicker who specialized in tricky onside kicks.
“Their kicker was phenomenal — the best I’ve ever seen with onside kicks,” Richard said. “He could make it hop just right and gave our guys fits, even when we knew it was coming.”
Still, the Guardians’ preparation showed:
“We were able to do the things we did against a very good opponent because of the work we do during the week,” Richard explained. “It doesn’t just happen like in a movie on game night. It’s the practices that prepare us to play that way.”
Looking Ahead
At 5-0, the Guardians enter the back half of their schedule with confidence but also focus. Their next test comes Thursday night against Freedom Life Academy in Natchitoches, LA.
Richard kept his message simple:
“Just win the next game, and then we’ll worry about the next one after that.”