Coming into last Friday’s game against the Skyline Raiders, Jesuit had a chance to make a statement to District 9-5A and to the state of Texas. Jesuit, 3-0 at the time, was facing up against a highly touted Skyline Raider football team, coming off its first regular season loss since 2010. The conditions were perfect for the Rangers: Skyline was backed up against a wall; it was a home game; and Jesuit pounded through non-district play.
The game time atmosphere was surreal – bands going wild, and fans rocking the stands. It was your typical Friday night in Texas. Except for one thing, Jesuit was ready to take it to Skyline and them their first defeat since the district formed in 2010.
Jesuit won the coin flip and elected to receive opening kickoff. However, QB Jack Brezette ’13 couldn’t connect on 2 passes, and the Rangers had to punt. After a 31-yard punt by P Jeff Fulcher ’13, Skyline struck quickly, scoring on a 27-yard rush by RB Ellis Onic. Skyline took the lead 7-0, but Jesuit and Brezette came back strong. Brezette hooked up with WR/DB Orion Salter ’14 twice and WR Jake Oliver ’13 once over the next four plays, and a Salters 35-yard rush found Jesuit in the end zone, tying the game at 7-7. Skyline’s offense, led by QB Devante Kincade, an Ole Miss commit, and WR Rashaad Samples, an Oklahoma State commit, found more success in their second drive. Set up nicely from a strong kickoff return, Onic and Kincade rushed the Raiders to the Jesuit 18-yard line. Kincade dropped a beauty to Samples, and Skyline once again had the lead. The next Jesuit drive ended the 1st Quarter, and the Rangers found themselves at the Skyline 7-yard line.
On the first play of the 2nd Quarter, Brezette heaved a pass across the field to WR John Berend ’13 for a touchdown, and
the game was still dead even. Skyline’s next drive was halted by a DE JD Waggoner ’13 fumble recovery, and things were looking up for the Rangers. Unfortunately, Jesuit had to punt on the next drive, and Skyline used 13 plays and 5 minutes off the clock to seize the lead off a Kincade touchdown run. Then things started to go awry for the Rangers. An interception set up Skyline for a 16-yard touchdown. A fumbled kickoff off a helmet let the Raiders rush in a 20-yard touchdown. And like that in the span of 1:16, Skyline had taken the lead 35-14. Three catches by Oliver and six rushes by RB Will Brown ’13 got Jesuit to the 16-yard line, and K Cody Wicker ’13 booted a 32-yard field goal. At halftime, the score was Skyline 35 – Jesuit 17.
At halftime, the players kept their heads up, and coaches told them to keep a positive mentality. Head Coach Brandon Hickman said at halftime, the players “have to believe in each other.” An inspirational speech by Will Brown got the blood pumping again for the Rangers, and every single player in the locker room was ready to go and fight for the win. Before the team ran out of their helmet tunnel at halftime, Brezette shouted, “This is for the District y’all. Let’s go get it right now.” Even though chances looked bleak, the players’ fight was far from over.
Skyline brought the opening kick of the 3rd Quarter to the 25-yard line, and wasted no time getting into the end zone. 15 seconds into the 3rd, Ellis Onic had powered his way 75-yards for a touchdown. After this, Jesuit’s offense became to struggle. Brezette could no longer find open receivers and had to punt, a beautiful punt that found its way to the Skyline 8-yard line. The next Skyline drive seemed to be just a fast as the last one. RB Jordan Stevenson rushed 2-yards to the 10-yard line, and Rashaad Samples burned the Jesuit defense for a 90-yard touchdown pass. The score was now in Skyline’s hands. Jesuit tried some trickery on 4th down of their next drive, but found no luck, and Skyline got the ball back once again. Fortunately, Jesuit’s defense finally forced their first 3-and-Out of the night, and Brezette was able to orchestrate the Jesuit offense down the field. Brezette passed to RB Pierce Durham ’14 and Salters to pick up two first downs, and at the 3rd Quarter, Jesuit was at the Skyline 30-yard line.
At the start of the 4th, Oliver snagged a 14-yard catch for a first down, and Salters rushed 11 yards for a first down. After a Jesuit penalty though, the Rangers were situated at the Skyline 16-yard line. A pinpoint accurate throw and remarkable grab by WR Taylor Tibbits ’13 cut Jesuit’s deficit to 25. Jesuit remained scoreless for the rest of the game however. Skyline again had to punt, and backup QB Joe Willie Laufenberg ’13 came into the game. This drive saw WR Garrett Amy ’15 and WR Davis Bittner ’13 catch their first passes of the season. Bittner also almost hauled in a deep pass near the northeast part of the field; the pass was broken up at the last second by a Skyline defensive-back. On the last Skyline drive, the Raiders rubbed some salt in the Ranger wounds by scoring one more time. QB Sheridan Copeland completed a pass to WR Carlos Strickland for a 32-yard touchdown. At the end of the game, the final score was Skyline 56 – Jesuit 24.
Brezette finished 20-32 for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Leading rushers were Orion Salters (5 for 44
yards and a TD), Will Brown (16 for 42 yards), Pierce Durham (6 for 19 yards) and Joe Willie Laufenberg (1 for 12 yards). Receiving leaders were Jake Oliver (8 for 99 yards), Orion Salters (5 for 85 yards), Will Brown (2 for 40 yards), Taylor Tibbits (2 for 27 yards and a TD), John Berend (3 for 17 yards and a TD), Davis Bittner (1 for 15 yards), Pierce Durham (1 for 12 yards), and Garrett Amy (1 for 8 yards).
Although the game didn’t end in Jesuit’s favor, Hickman recognized the efforts that every individual player put in to try and get the win. He noted that he was “so proud of [his players] because [they] never stopped believing that they could win.” At practice later in the week, he told his players that “that game is behind us, and we’re going to power ourselves through these next six district games – be 9-1 at the end of the season.” Despite the loss, the spirits of the Jesuit Ranger football players never died down, and the team will continue to pursue excellence.
Come out tonight and watch your Rangers (3-1; 0-1) take on the Richardson Berkner Rams (1-3; 0-1) at 7:30 at Ranger Stadium. WR Jake Oliver ’13 is 14 receptions away from breaking Jordan Shipley’s mark of most career receptions. Tonight’s game is sure to be a great bounce back game for Jesuit, so come out and cheer on your Blue and Gold.
