By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
It seemed a reasonable question to ask Calvary senior Kolby Thomas after he hauled in six passes totaling 242 yards, four for touchdowns, and heaved a 31-yard completion to set up another TD Friday night against Class 5A powerhouse Neville.
Except the out-of-town journalist asking was new to Jerry Barker Field. He wondered, had Thomas ever had a night like this?
“I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a game like this,” said the 5-10, 170-pounder, “except for last week against Oak Grove.”
Last Friday, Thomas also snagged four TD passes, collecting nine receptions overall for 146 yards in the Cavaliers’ high-scoring 21-point triumph. But although that paled in comparison to what Thomas did against the Monroe-based Tigers, his latest performance wasn’t quite enough.
Not even with Calvary quarterback Abram Wardell following last week’s seven-touchdown outing with six more TD passes and 410 total offensive yards, 376 on 21-of-28 passing while dodging frequent Neville blitzes.
In a slugfest producing over 1,000 combined offensive yards, the last of two late lead changes went Neville’s way in a 42-38 victory over the reigning Select Division III state champion Cavs. It was Calvary’s first regular-season loss in 18 games dating back to early in the 2022 season, and ended an overall 15-game win streak that featured a perfect 2023 worksheet.
It was a hastily-arranged marquee matchup, set Tuesday when approaching Hurricane Francine wiped out both teams’ scheduled contests against south Louisiana foes, and it drew statewide TV coverage on the LHSAA Network. Calvary, top-ranked in Class 2A, welcomed the idea of playing uphill against Neville, who beat Evangel 42-24 a week ago on the west side of town.
Friday’s loss stung. But there were no tears from Cavaliers, and much admiration from the other sideline.
“I hope we don’t face any more (offenses) as good as them,” said a relieved Neville coach Mike Collins, a defensive guru. ““They’re so explosive. We had our hands full all night long.”
Each team scored six TDs, but Neville was perfect on its extra-point kicks and that was decisive. Calvary’s first two point-after kicks failed – one wide right, one wide left – and so did three of the ensuing four two-point conversion tries.
“When you miss ‘em early, you’re chasing points all night,” said Cavs’ coach Rodney Guin.
“We should have adapted, scored another touchdown and won the game,” said Wardell.
They took the lead, for the second time, with 6:07 remaining on the last, and toughest, of Thomas’ TD catches. Those covered 30, 72, 74 and 43 yards – the last three on successive second-half possessions as an 11-point deficit was erased.
The longest ones came in a three-play span. Then the go-ahead grab, with Thomas streaking down the right hash, leaping over a defender at the goalline, moved Calvary near an immense upset.
“Abram threw me a good ball. I went and caught it,” he said in an understatement.
But Neville replied in kind. A 26-yarder to tight end Thomas Campbell frustrated a Calvary defense that seemed to finally be hemming in the Tigers’ productive run game, and two snaps later, Jamarion Roberson took a swing pass 38 yards with 4:40 to go and the visitors led by four.
An illegal block infraction erased an 11-yard Wardell scramble for a first down near midfield, and pinned the Cavs at their own 15. A sack left them staring at fourth-and-forever from the 8 with no time outs left and under two minutes showing. That was no time for the game’s first punt.
“We needed one stop,” said Collins, “and we got it.”
Nobody headed home unhappy. Playing down to the wire served a bigger purpose for the Cavs.
“We need it,” said Thomas, looking ahead to Calvary’s postseason path. “To get to that Dome, it’s not an easy route. It’s a hard route. We expected a fight, we expected a different outcome, but we played a heck of a game, we thought.”
Said Guin: “We improved from last week. We just played a heck of a football team. But we’ve got to get better on special teams. It cost us tonight. We’ve got to get off the field on those third-and-longs.
“The effort was fantastic. This team is going to be pretty good when it’s all said and done. Not pleased we lost, but I loved the effort.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
SCORING
N-Jaylen Nichols 6 run (Brooks Yerger kick), 7-0, 6:23 1st
C-Kolby Thomas 30 pass from Abram Wardell (kick failed), 7-6 Neville, 4:10 1st
N-Nichols 47 run (Yerger kick), 14-6 Neville, 0:51 1st
C-Braylun Huglon 13 pass from Wardell (kick failed), 14-12 Neville, 7:21 2nd
C-Kaleb Tucker 17 pass from Wardell (pass failed), 18-14 Calvary, 4:11 2nd
N-Kaleb Vaughn 15 pass from Parker Robinson (Yerger kick), 21-18 Neville, 1:08 2nd
N-Robinson 6 run (Yerger kick), 28-18 Neville, 8:01 3rd
C-Thomas 72 pass from Wardell (pass failed), 28-24 Neville, 6:50 3rd
N-Vaughn 1 run (Yerger kick), 35-24 Neville, 1:53 3rd
C-Thomas 72 pass from Wardell (James Simon run), 35-32 Neville, 1:23 3rd
C-Thomas 74 pass from Wardell (run failed), 38-35 Calvary, 6:07 4th
N-Jamarion Roberson 38 pass from Robinson (Yerger kick), 42-38 Neville, 4:40 4th
YARDSTICK
Neville, Calvary
First Downs 20, 22
Rushes-Yards 48-263, 24-99
Passing Yards 162, 407
C-A-I 13-16-0, 22-29-0
Punts-Avg. 0-0.0, 0-0.0
Fumbles-Lost 4-2, 1-1
Penalties-Yards 6-55, 7-64
INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE STATS
Rushing: Neville, Jaylon Nicholas 18-149, Tardashi Lemons 18-105, Parker Robinson 7-5, Thomas Campbell 1-11, Team 2-(-2), Brock Jordan 1-(-6). Calvary, John Simon 17-54, Abram Wardell 6-34, Julius Moss 1-11.
Passing: Neville, Robinson 11-14-0 148, Jordan 2-2 14. Calvary, Wardell 21-28-0 376, Kolby Thomas 1-1-0 31.
Receiving: Neville, Kaleb Vaughn 5-48, Jamarion Roberson 2-43, Campbell 2-36, Trendan Dumas 2-24, Zeland Young 1-13, Daniels 1-2. Calvary, Kaleb Tucker 8-114, Thomas 6-242, Braylon Huglon 3-30, Daylen Wilson 2-13, Simon 2-8, Brent Bigelow 1-0.