The stage is set for a rematch tonight at Clark Field at 7:00 p.m. as the John Paul the Great Academy Guardians host the First Baptist Christian School Eagles for the second time this season.
Both teams enter the matchup coming off convincing victories last Thursday. JPG defeated Southwest Louisiana 54–18, while FBCS celebrated Homecoming with a 46–0 victory over Vermilion Charter Academy, its second win over the Bulldogs in as many weeks.
Guardians Pull Away From Southwest, 54–18
The Guardians won the first meeting between JPG and FBCS, 38–0 on Aug. 13 at Broussard Sports Complex. Since then, however, the Eagles have shown considerable improvement with their only other loss coming to Southwest Louisiana in a competitive game.
JPG entered the game with a significant change at quarterback. Senior Daniel Charpentier, who has been dealing with an injury, was unavailable, putting junior Nick Odinet behind center. Coach Barrett Richard said Odinet was ready when his opportunity came.
“He’s been waiting for his turn and he finally got it,” Richard said. “He played extremely well against Southwest.”
Odinet quickly made his presence felt, scoring the Guardians’ first touchdown. Riley Lormand then found the end zone and added the two-point conversion as JPG moved ahead 14–6. Odinet scored again in the second quarter, with Luke Salvatierra catching the conversion pass to make it 22–12.
John Paul the Great Academy faced some early resistance from Southwest last Thursday at Clark Field before the Guardians took control and pulled away for a 54–18 victory.
From there, Lormand and the Guardians took over. Lormand scored three more times as JPG stretched the advantage to 46–12. After Southwest answered with its final touchdown, Lormand scored again, with Odinet adding the two-point conversion for the final 54–18 margin.
That gave Lormand five touchdowns on the night, while Odinet accounted for two touchdowns of his own.
Richard said the final margin did not fully reflect how competitive the game was early.
“The first half was tight,” Richard said. “It was a very competitive ball game for approximately half of the game. And then, you know, we just continued to execute. Things went our way. But it was a hard-fought game. They’re a good ball club.”
Richard has also seen the adversity caused by injuries become an opportunity for growth. He said his players are learning that “you don’t always get to choose your challenge” and that how a young man responds to challenges placed before him “is a reflection of your character.”
Eagles Blank Bulldogs Again on Homecoming Night, 46–0
Across town at Broussard Sports Complex, First Baptist Christian School celebrated Homecoming with another impressive performance against the Vermilion Charter Academy Bulldogs.
The Eagles had defeated the first-year Bulldogs 40–0 one week earlier. In the Homecoming rematch, FBCS was even more dominant on the scoreboard, winning 46–0.
Coach Grayson Standiford nevertheless thought Vermilion was an improved team the second time around.
“Vermilion Charter got better. They played a lot better,” Standiford said. “They were better defensively, a little bit better offensively, but we probably executed the best of the season. We didn’t miss very many blocking assignments, and the passing game was good.”
The statistics support his assessment.
Quarterback Luke Smith completed 6 of 7 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns, without an interception. His longest completion went for 55 yards. Luke Page added a 15-yard completion, giving the Eagles 168 passing yards.
FBCS spread those passes among several playmakers. Gavin Francis caught two passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, including a 55-yarder. Page caught two passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, while Judah Pritchard had two receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. Finn Fontenot added a 22-yard reception.
The Eagles were equally explosive on the ground, led by Benji Moore, the running back Standiford singled out when discussing this week’s rematch with JPG.
Moore carried only four times but accumulated 90 yards and a touchdown, averaging 22.5 yards per carry and breaking a 49-yard run. Pritchard rushed twice for 54 yards and a touchdown, including a 47-yard run. Francis added 26 yards on two attempts, while Nate Hill broke a 21-yard run on his lone carry. Page added seven rushing yards.
Moore also delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the night, recording four tackles and a pick-six.
Standiford credited his senior class with keeping the Eagles focused despite all the activities surrounding Homecoming.
“We have a group of seniors that are very good with not being distracted,” he said. “The seniors kept in mind—and the young kids—that there’s still football games to be played.”
Standiford has also been encouraged by the leadership of a senior-heavy group that has had to bring along a roster containing only a few juniors and sophomores and a large contingent of eighth-graders.
“I can never complain about the leadership,” Standiford joked. “The only time I complain about the leadership is when they pick on me. They’re ruthless.”
Guardians and Eagles Meet Again Thursday at Clark Field
Now the attention turns to Clark Field, where JPG and FBCS will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday in their second meeting of the season.
JPG won the first matchup 38–0, but the Eagles who take the field Thursday have gained considerably more game experience since that August meeting. One measuring stick is Southwest Louisiana. The Knights defeated FBCS 26–20 on Sept. 3, while JPG pulled away from Southwest for last week’s 54–18 victory.
Richard expects the Eagles to provide a much different challenge in the rematch.
“I know Coach Grayson’s going to have them ready to go,” Richard said. “I think we’re going to be getting their best shot. We expect a hard-fought ball game. I mean, that’s what we’re expecting.”
Richard specifically pointed to FBCS’s offensive weapons.
“They have a very good quarterback. They got a good running back. They have a good coach,” Richard said. “There’s no reason why we don’t expect them to come out and give us a very good football game.”
Standiford, meanwhile, made no secret of his confidence in Benji Moore as the Eagles prepare for another shot at the Guardians. “I know John Paul the Great’s good” Standiford said. “We’re confident when we give him the ball, good things are going to happen.”
For FBCS, Thursday provides an opportunity to measure its progress since the teams’ first meeting. For JPG, it is another test for a team that has continued winning despite having to adjust to injuries at key positions.
And this time, the Guardians know they will be seeing an Eagles team that has grown considerably since August.
JPG Guardians vs. FBCS Eagles
Thursday, Sept. 24 | Clark Field | 7 p.m. kickoff
J. Christian Lewis/AI assisted