By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Calvary coach Rodney Guin figured his Cavaliers had an advantage up front and in team speed against visiting Episcopal of Baton Rouge Friday night in the Select Division III quarterfinals.
He may have underestimated.
The defending state champions looked the part, dominating the sixth-seeded Knights 52-10 at Jerry Barker Stadium.
“Strength took over,” said Episcopal’s 25-year head coach, Travis Bourgeois. “Perimeter speed, us not getting off blocks, just a more physical team, and that won the ballgame tonight.
“You gonna play a classy program like Calvary, well coached, talented, does everything right. That’s why they’re defending state champions, and why they’re going to be a tough out,” he said. “They play the right way.”
Sixth-seeded Episcopal (10-3) exited in the quarterfinal round for the eighth straight season. Third-seeded Calvary (10-2) won its ninth straight game and spent nearly the entire second half enjoying the reality that it will play at home next Friday in a semifinal against No. 7 Catholic-New Iberia (11-1), which won its 11th in a row by manhandling second-seeded and previously unbeaten Newman 31-0 in New Orleans Friday night.
“That’s what we wanted,” said Guin. “Don’t care who we played, we’d rather play at home. It’s a huge deal.”
Episcopal opened with a 10-play drive to a field goal and a 3-0 edge. It was fool’s gold. Two plays later, Calvary led 7-3 on James Simon IV’s 32-yard run set up by Abram Wardell’s 37-yard bomb to Kolby Thomas. With three more snaps, the Cavs went up 14-3 on a 34-yard Wardell to Braylon Huglon shovel pass and scamper down the Knights’ sideline.
Episcopal punted Calvary dead at its own 1. Not a problem. Seven plays and 99 yards later, it was 21-3 after Simon scored from six yards out, shaking a defender off his hip halfway there 32 seconds into the second period.
“We played well,” said Guin. “We got some big plays in the pass game and the run game. When we play good defense, and we can score some, we’re going to be good.”
The biggest play was the second of Huglon’s three TDs, a 75-yarder on a bubble screen in front of a delighted Cavaliers sideline for a 28-3 advantage midway through the second quarter.
“When they give me free space, when I see all green, it’s going to be a TD every time for me,” said the sophomore, who collected 237 of Wardell’s 415 passing yards on six receptions, the last a 56-yard TD on Calvary’s opening series of the second half to go up 42-10. “That’s how I see it in my mind. I’m thinking I’m going to take it to the crib every time.”
The Cavs gained 257 yards on their first 12 plays from scrimmage. They finished with 574 while limiting the Knights to 181, just 77 before Guin ran in the second teamers on both sides of the ball after Wardell, given several seconds to survey his options, tossed a 12-yarder to a leaping Thomas in the back of the end zone for a 39-point lead with 17 minutes to go.
“Abram just threw it up, gave me a chance, and I’m just using my God-given ability to go up and get that ball,” said Thomas about his 17th TD reception in his senior season, and classmate Wardell’s 40th scoring pass.
They agreed, and Guin echoed the secret to their success.
“Our O-line played a very great game tonight. They played well all around. They gave him a lot of time in the pocket,” said Thomas, chuckling as he recalled how long Wardell had to release the last touchdown.
“Our box has been really controlling the games, dominating,” said Wardell.
“We’ve played so well up front the past month, and that’s the key,” said Guin. “We just have to keep doing that.”
“We were not able to put pressure on the quarterback,” said Episcopal’s Bourgeois. “Their offensive line held up, and he had windows to throw to and they executed all night.”
After posting the widest victory margin (equaled by Ruston) in any quarterfinal game statewide, anticipating their home game next Friday, the Cavaliers didn’t mind the 35-degree temperature. They were red hot.
“We’re right where we want to be,” said Wardell. “We always have some stuff to improve for next game, but we’re in a good place right now.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
CALVARY BAPTIST CAVALIERS 52, EPISCOPAL KNIGHTS 10
KNIGHTS 3 0 7 0 – 10
CAVALIERS 14 21 14 3 – 52
E – Jack Berg 42 field goal, 8:25 1st, Episcopal 3-0
C – James Simon 32 run (Ty Knight kick), 8:04 1st, Calvary 7-3
C – Braylun Huglon 34 pass from Abram Wardell (Knight kick), 6:12 1st, Calvary 14-3
C – Simon 6 run (Knight kick), 11:28 2nd, Calvary 21-3
C – Huglon 75 pass from Wardell (Knight kick), 6:39 2nd, Calvary 28-3
C – Julius Moss 7 run (Knight kick), 2:23 2nd, Calvary 35-3
E – Nathan Sanchez 7 pass from Zack Hu (berg kick), 9:47 3rd, Calvary 35-10
C – Huglon 56 pass from Wardell (Knight kick), 8:23 3rd, Calvary 42-10
C – Kolby Thomas 12 pass from Wardell (Knight kick), 5:10 3rd, Calvary 49-10
C – Knight 27 field goal, 9:01 4th, Calvary 52-10
Individual statistics
RUSHING – Calvary (19-167, 3 TDs) Simon 8-84, 2 TDs; Moss 7-42, 1 TD; Pierce Carey 1-26, Braxxton Black 2-10, Wardell 1-5. Episcopal (34-119), Reid Chauvin 17-71, Nathan Sanchez 8-38, David Olinde 4-18, Brody Bailey 4-minus-7, Zach Hu 1-1
PASSING – Calvary, Wardell 15-18, 415, 4 TDs; Hudson Price 1-2, 2. Episcopal, Bailey 4-10-1, 55. Hu 1-3, 7, 1 TD
RECEIVING – Calvary, Huglon 6-237, 3 TDs; Thomas 4-81, 1 TD; Kaleb Tucker 3-69, Moss 2-28, Christian Ashworth 1-2. Episcopal, Sanchez 3-36 1 TD; Chauvin 1-19, John Singer 1-8.