WESTLAKE, LA – Under the setting Saturday evening sun at Westlake High School, the First Baptist Christian School Eagles showed grit and determination but ultimately fell to the Southwest Louisiana Homeschool Athletic Club Knights, 28–14, in a contest marked by big plays, defensive stands, and untimely turnovers.
The Knights opened the game by receiving the kickoff and quickly marched downfield, punching in the first score along with a successful two-point conversion to take an 8–0 lead. The Eagles answered with a promising drive to the Southwest 25-yard line, but a fourth-and-nine pass was broken up.
On the Knights’ next play, a long 40-yard pass set the home team up inside the Eagle red zone. But as the second quarter began, the pendulum swung when Eagles defender #47 Nate Hill pounced on a Knight’s mishandled snap and exchange.
The turnover sparked life into the Eagles’ offense. On the ensuing drive, #22 Gavin Francis broke free on a reverse for 13 yards. Next, quarterback #1 Judah Pritchard connected with Francis on a spectacular 63-yard fourth-down touchdown strike. The two-point conversion was negated by a penalty leaving the score 8–6.
The Eagles’ defense held strong on a critical fourth-and-two, but the Knights countered late in the half with another 55-yard pass with 48 seconds remaining in the half. The conversion was good, and the Knights carried a 16–6 lead into halftime
Eagles Close the Gap
The Eagles came out of the locker room determined. After starting at their own 36, running back #23 Benji Moore picked up nine hard yards before the Eagles found tight end #77 Jackson Ortego on a big 36-yard gain. Pritchard then weaved another twelve into red zone at the Knight five-yard line. Moore finished the job with a touchdown run at the 6:54 mark of the third. The Eagles pulled within two, trailing just 16–14.
The defense delivered again, forcing a punt, but the turnover bug bit when the Eagles fumbled on the very next play on their own 21 yard line. Two plays later the Knights capitalized with a short-field 15yard touchdown run to extend their lead to 22–14.
In the Eagles’ next possession a fourth and eight conversion through the air nevertheless ended a few plays later in a stalled drive. Momentum nearly swung back to the Eagles when Nate Hill recorded a huge sack for a 15-yard loss, followed by a Gavin Francis’s interception that brought the ball back to midfield. On the next play, Pritchard ripped a long run down to the Southwest 12, but in heartbreaking fashion, he was stripped of the ball just short of the red zone.
The Knights made the most of the break, striking on yet another bomb for 70 yards two plays later that set up their final touchdown, pushing the lead to 28–14. The Eagles fought until the end—forcing stops, pushing the ball downfield—but a late interception sealed the result.
Heart and Fight
Despite the loss, the Eagles showed toughness on both sides of the ball. Moore’s bruising runs, Pritchard’s dual-threat ability, Hill’s defensive pressure, and Francis’s all-around play gave the team plenty of bright spots between the clouds upon which to build.
While these Eagles didn’t quit, Coach Standiford saw opportunities lost after the game, “When we decide to play to our potential and trust each other, we will be hard to handle.”
On a short week turnaround, the Eagles (1-2) return to action this Thursday evening at the Broussard Sports Complex to take on the Storm from Midstate Homeschool Organization (2-1), looking to turn their relentless effort into the season’s second win.
J. Christian Lewis/AI assisted