From the Observation Deck at Lumberjacks Stadium...
Though he may not have the height of a top-flight quarterback recruit, Jake Booty of Calvary measures up in almost every other way.
Take Friday night in Springhill, for example.
Booty, about 5-foot-10 and some change, pulled the Cavaliers from the brink of disaster against surprisingly spunky Springhill last night. Staring down a 10-point deficit late in the second quarter, Booty turned this key district match into his own little highlight reel.
After a starting off 1-for-5 with an interception, Booty completed 11 consecutive passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns to snatch back the lead and push Calvary's advantage to 40-24 early in the third quarter.
Booty also controlled the game with his feet, rushing for a team-leading 65 yards and a touchdown and deftly avoiding the Lumberjacks' furious pass rush. His 25-yard touchdown run - out of an empty backfield in the shotgun set - with 4:16 left in the first half started the avalanche of points.
Over 8:31 spanning the second and third quarters, Calvary scored 26 unanswered points and went from trailing 17-14 to leading by 16 points, essentially putting the game out of reach for the hit-or-miss passing attack of the ground-bound 'Jacks.
It really happened that quickly. And there was essentially nothing Springhill could do about it - except get ready for the ensuing kickoff.
I'll leave my predictions for next week's game against Evangel for some other time, but I will say Jake Booty is far and away the most efficient offensive player I've seen this year. And if some top colleges can't overlook his height, then they ought to review the film from last night's game at Springhill.
They'd probably like what they see.
Other observations, looking at today's sports section of The Times:
- I'll refer you to my blog from last week when it comes to Ouachita's Montrell "Choo-Choo" Conner. Against Huntington, Conner made like Earl Campbell and rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in a 34-12 rout of the Raiders.
Now finally healthy after being nicked up all season, Conner looms as a huge force heading into the playoffs. In pretty much a handful of games, Choo-Choo has cracked the 1,000-yard barrier with one more game to go in the regular season.
- Also, the Huntington Raiders are confirming what I believed about them from the very start: they're a bit overrated. Good team, but not as good as they'd have you believe.
- It's tough to believe, in one year, Minden could go from undefeated district champs from getting rolled by 22 at Parkway and possibly missing the playoffs. I know losing quarterback T.Q. Mims was huge but who could have known the Crimson Tide would be such a mess.
- Is Captain Shreve really going to go with Travis Anderson as quarterback for the rest of the season? I'm all for putting the ball in the hands of your best athlete, but really, sophomore James Scroggins has a lot of potential and essentially benching him can't do much for his confidence.
- Byrd's Brittain White is a really, really tough-as-nails fullback. He's making it easy for the Yellow Jackets to forget about Justan Gibson, who, oh by the way, just graduated a year ago.
- Better catch Green Oaks runner Lemarien Parson, the area's leading rusher heading into last week, while you can. Next week will probably be the final game of his career.
- Good to see Ringgold get off the snide; good to see Loyola recover from last week's heartbreaking loss to Springhill; and good to see Homer did the same after falling just short of an upset of Evangel.
- Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Last year's 5A state champ Acadiana lost its second-straight last night, 37-7 to Sulphur. Wow. That is not a good way to go into the postseason.
- Finally, St. James knocked off John Curtis, Class 2A's top-ranked team and defending champ. With Calvary at No. 2, that means the other 11 voters in the LSWA poll will probably join me in putting the Cavs at No. 1 on their weekly ballot. Know what that means? Calvary and Evangel could meet next week as the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in Class 2A. As if the game couldn't get any bigger.
Take Friday night in Springhill, for example.
Booty, about 5-foot-10 and some change, pulled the Cavaliers from the brink of disaster against surprisingly spunky Springhill last night. Staring down a 10-point deficit late in the second quarter, Booty turned this key district match into his own little highlight reel.
After a starting off 1-for-5 with an interception, Booty completed 11 consecutive passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns to snatch back the lead and push Calvary's advantage to 40-24 early in the third quarter.
Booty also controlled the game with his feet, rushing for a team-leading 65 yards and a touchdown and deftly avoiding the Lumberjacks' furious pass rush. His 25-yard touchdown run - out of an empty backfield in the shotgun set - with 4:16 left in the first half started the avalanche of points.
Over 8:31 spanning the second and third quarters, Calvary scored 26 unanswered points and went from trailing 17-14 to leading by 16 points, essentially putting the game out of reach for the hit-or-miss passing attack of the ground-bound 'Jacks.
It really happened that quickly. And there was essentially nothing Springhill could do about it - except get ready for the ensuing kickoff.
I'll leave my predictions for next week's game against Evangel for some other time, but I will say Jake Booty is far and away the most efficient offensive player I've seen this year. And if some top colleges can't overlook his height, then they ought to review the film from last night's game at Springhill.
They'd probably like what they see.
Other observations, looking at today's sports section of The Times:
- I'll refer you to my blog from last week when it comes to Ouachita's Montrell "Choo-Choo" Conner. Against Huntington, Conner made like Earl Campbell and rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in a 34-12 rout of the Raiders.
Now finally healthy after being nicked up all season, Conner looms as a huge force heading into the playoffs. In pretty much a handful of games, Choo-Choo has cracked the 1,000-yard barrier with one more game to go in the regular season.
- Also, the Huntington Raiders are confirming what I believed about them from the very start: they're a bit overrated. Good team, but not as good as they'd have you believe.
- It's tough to believe, in one year, Minden could go from undefeated district champs from getting rolled by 22 at Parkway and possibly missing the playoffs. I know losing quarterback T.Q. Mims was huge but who could have known the Crimson Tide would be such a mess.
- Is Captain Shreve really going to go with Travis Anderson as quarterback for the rest of the season? I'm all for putting the ball in the hands of your best athlete, but really, sophomore James Scroggins has a lot of potential and essentially benching him can't do much for his confidence.
- Byrd's Brittain White is a really, really tough-as-nails fullback. He's making it easy for the Yellow Jackets to forget about Justan Gibson, who, oh by the way, just graduated a year ago.
- Better catch Green Oaks runner Lemarien Parson, the area's leading rusher heading into last week, while you can. Next week will probably be the final game of his career.
- Good to see Ringgold get off the snide; good to see Loyola recover from last week's heartbreaking loss to Springhill; and good to see Homer did the same after falling just short of an upset of Evangel.
- Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Last year's 5A state champ Acadiana lost its second-straight last night, 37-7 to Sulphur. Wow. That is not a good way to go into the postseason.
- Finally, St. James knocked off John Curtis, Class 2A's top-ranked team and defending champ. With Calvary at No. 2, that means the other 11 voters in the LSWA poll will probably join me in putting the Cavs at No. 1 on their weekly ballot. Know what that means? Calvary and Evangel could meet next week as the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in Class 2A. As if the game couldn't get any bigger.
posted by Joel Anderson at 9:55 AM
4 Comments:
What's up joel i respect your a opinion about the Raiders but overrated I think not. I can come up with reasond why they lost the last 2 games but they lost but Im going to put my 2 cents in any way lol. For one Huntington has no kicking game and gave Ouachita the good field possesion for the first 3 touchdowns and against aslo the same thing against Bryd it was the If they would have improved that I promise that Bryd game wouldn't even been close if it wasn't for the turnovers but we will see playoffs I hope they will rematch one of those teams to make you a believer.
Carlton, hey, we appreciate your two cents. I'm a big fan of Coach Foppe and the Raiders - by far my favorite interviews of the prep season - but I'm not so sure Huntington was ever one of Class 5A's Top 10 teams.
Huntington, Captain Shreve and Byrd are equals, as far as I'm concerned. They're solid 5A schools that won't make much noise in the postseason.
Having seen Ouachita up close a week ago, I DO think the Lions are the second-best team in 1-5A and a threat to advance further than most people might think.
We can agree to disagree on the strength of the Raiders, and let the playoffs tell the whole story.
But let me tell you this: if they struggle to stop the run, don't have a reliable kicking game and have a propensity to turn over the ball, that sounds like the recipe for a one-and-done team.
Ok joel I agree with you some what.But this Raider team looks like the 2004 raiders team that everyone thought was overrated went down to #2 sulpur and put a nice beating on them.This year the raiders haven't played a solid game but when they do it's going to be exciting .
I bet you that Byrd beats Ouachita. From seeing both of them play. Byrd has a good run defense . And I dont think Ouachita is ready for that wing t offense.
And as far as ouachita going deep in the playoffs I disagree with that yeah they played a good game against C.S and HHS but I'm not impressed they don't have a complete offense running is not going to get them deep in the playoffs they have to have a balance. I'm sure you agree what that.
A little wager here If Byrd beats Ouachita since your going with Ouachita I guess your are. If I win if your willing to make a wager you think I can be on the prepbeats preveiw video with you and Roy if possible lol. Just a thought
Told you Bryd would win Joel what can I say I know football.
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