PINEVILLE, La. – Playing under the lights at Louisiana Christian University, the John Paul the Great Academy Guardians overpowered the Midstate Homeschool Organization Storm in a dominant showing away Thursday night. The Guardians built a commanding 38–0 halftime lead and never looked back, securing their second straight lopsided victory to start the season
Strong Start Despite Delay
Head coach Barrett Richard noted that rain and thunderstorms delayed the kickoff until after 9:00 p.m. “Delays can have their effects on a team, but both sides deal with it,” Richard said. “Midstate has some young players, but it’s clear some of them have played before. They made us work for our scores, and I was impressed with their line play. They’ve got a ton of promise.”
Despite the big margin, Richard admitted the Guardians took “a step back” compared to their Week 1 performance.
“We played worse in Week 2 than Week 1,” Richard explained. “It’s never really about the score. It’s about becoming a better football player each time you take the field. An experienced team would have made us pay for some of our mistakes.”
Offensive Explosion
The Guardians racked up 492 total yards, powered by an explosive ground game that produced 473 rushing yards.
Riley Lormand (Jr.) had a night to remember, rushing for 272 yards on just nine carries (30.2 avg) with two touchdowns, adding a 19-yard reception, a 103-yard punt return touchdown, and a 12-yard kick return. In total, he amassed 406 all-purpose yards and accounted for three touchdowns and 20 total points.
Luke Salvatierra (So.), stepping in for the ill Jonah Pettit, impressed with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Richard praised the young back’s composure: “He really stepped up for us. For a sophomore, he ran hard and showed he belonged.”
Quarterback D. Charpentier (Jr.) contributed with 51 rushing yards, a 19-yard pass completion, and multiple two-point conversion runs.
Augustine Hayes (Jr.) added another rushing touchdown, finishing with 12 yards on the ground
Defensive Standouts
On defense, the Guardians swarmed the young Storm offense, tallying 66 total tackles and limiting Midstate to minimal production.
Dominic Cramer (Jr.) led the way with 14 tackles, while Maximus Stewart (Jr.) added 11 stops
Nicholas Odinet (So.) and Jacob Angelle (So.) each posted nine tackles, with Angelle also contributing at outside linebacker in an expanded role. Richard highlighted Angelle’s versatility: “He’s a right tackle who doesn’t usually start on defense, but he went in and had a great game.”
Lormand wasn’t just an offensive star – he added a sack, tackle for loss, and a forced fumble recovery on defense
The Guardians’ defense recorded two sacks, eight tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries, including one by Salvatierra
Looking Ahead
At 2–0, the Guardians now prepare for a tougher test against the Vultures from North Shore HomeSchool of Covington. Richard stressed the need for sharper execution for this Saturday’s:
“This week in practice, the focus is on playing football like we know we can, no matter who the opponent is. North Shore’s coach always has wrinkles that give defenses trouble, so we’ll have to be ready.”
For now, though, the Guardians left Pineville with another convincing win, their rushing attack and opportunistic defense bringing the Storm into submission.