Tom Dodge
St. Edmund head coach James Shiver knew what his Blue Jays were up against Friday night as Avoyelles came to visit.
The Mustangs stampeded through the St. Ed defense for 410 yards on 62 plays as Avoyelles grabbed a 36-7 win over the Blue Jays.
“Playing bigger classification teams hopefully Tmay help our power points,” Shiver said. “The kids never quit and they hustled all game.
“I think we will be fine as the season continues and hopefully we can turn it around against Highland Baptist.”
Avoyelles took the opening kickoff 78 yards in 13 plays capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Donnell Carter.
The PAT failed but the Mustangs led 6-0 with 5:00 left in the first quarter.
The St. Edmund offense quickly responded, sparked by 48-yard run up the middle by Kieran Davis who was brought down at the Mustang 2.
On the next play, Peyton Marcantel scored and his PAT kick lifted the Jays to a 7-6 advantage with 3:49 left in the first quarter.
Avoyelles answered with a five-play, 56 yard drive, highlighted by a 35-yard touchdown run by Carter.
The Blue Jays stopped the two-point conversion run as the Mustangs held a 12-7 lead with 1:05 remaining in the first period.
After the St. Edmund offense was forced to punt on its next possession, it was the Blue Jay defense that responded and stopped the Mustangs on fourth down early in the second period.
The Blue Jays were also halted on its fourth down conversion attempt and the Mustangs’ running game moved the ball 79 yards on seven plays.
Carter scored his third touchdown of the first half on a 51-yard run and Carlos Bazert’s two-point conversion run pushed the Mustangs up 20-7 with 4:56 remaining in the second period.
The Blue Jays moved 25 yards in four plays, but a fumble gave the ball back to Avoyelles 25 with 5:50 left.
The Mustangs moved down the field 75 yards in nine plays.
Avoyelles quarterback Jayreon Atkins found Jermaine Pierre open for a 44-yard touchdown.
Carter ran in the two-point conversion as the Mustangs led 28-7 with 58 seconds left in the half.
On the first play of the second half an interception quickly gave the ball back to Avoyelles at the 49.
The Mustangs seemed poised to put up more points as the AHS moved the ball to the Blue Jay 30.
But Marcantel recovered a Mustang fumble at the Jays’ 22 to stop the drive with 7:14 left in the third quarter.
St. Edmund was forced to punt late in the period and the Mustangs took a 28-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
Avoyelles used it pounding ground game to use up 10:37 off the clock with a 16-play, 85-yard drive.
Bazert scored on a 6-yard run with 4:13 left in the game and Carter’s two-point conversion run sealed a 36-7 win for the Mustangs.
Carter finished with 193 yards on 24 carries, while Bazert added 142 yards on 22 carries.
Davis led the Jays with 89 yards on seven carries and Marcantel added 33 yards on six carries,