ESJ loses Johnny Owen to injury early, unable to get on track after 38-0 halftime deficit

By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

RESERVE – East St. John’s dream season turned into a nightmare for the Wildcats and their coaches last Friday night.

And Archbishop Rummel did more than just pinch the ESJ football squad.

&#8220They had us 28-0 before we knew it and it just kept getting away,” said Wildcats head coach Larry Dauterive. &#8220What can you say, give them credit. They had a good game plan, they executed, they had our number. I’d like to see them win it all.”

Coming into the quarter-finals game, ESJ owned the number one seed in the Class 5A, stood undefeated and had one of the most prolific offenses in the state. But while the Wildcats had fans with visions of a state championship dancing in their heads Dauterive and his squad knew that the Raiders weren’t just going to fold. What they didn’t know was that the Raiders were going to put this one away in the first quarter.

Rummel set the tone early on when they neutralized ESJ’s lead running back Johnny Owen, finishing his season with a broken forearm on the second play from scrimmage. Then, with their very first possession, the Raiders took a lead they would never relinquish. And, appropriately, they did it on a busted play.

Rummel quarterback Scott Buisson, who was the games leading rusher with 131 yards on nine runs, got loose on for a 45-yard touchdown scamper after dropping back to pass and finding that his receiver was no where to be found. His only pass of the game was an 18-yard reception. But the Raiders ran the ball for 423 yards and seven TDs as Buisson was joined at the 100-yard plus rushing mark by Andrel Johnson.

Rummel would score again before ESJ ever got moving on offense for a 14-0 score.

The Wildcats looked to have a drive going on their third possession until a

fumble at the Rummel 33-yard line turned the ball over to the Raiders, who ran Buisson to the left side for a 67-yard TD and a 21-0 lfirst quarter lead.

Things didn’t get any better in the second quarter though, as Rummel converted a long drive into another TD before intercepting ESJ quarterback Johnnie Thiel and returning it 30 yards for a 35-0 advantage. A field goal from 20 yards out just before halftime left it 38-0.

There was little that could be done after that for the Wildcats, who were held to 222 yards of total offense and forced to kick the ball to the Raiders on fourth down nine times. ESJ also turned the ball over four times in the game, three interceptions and the early fumble.

The Wildcats managed to avoid the shutout late in the fourth quarter when Thiel connected with Jarred Sterling from 11 yards out and Radi Jabour added the extra point. That left it at the 59-7 final, bouncing ESJ from the post-season tournament and advancing Rummel to the semi-finals round where they will host Sulphur.