West St. John wins; Rams advance to semifinals

Published 10:16 pm Friday, November 23, 2018

LOGANSPORT — West St. John High is one game away from playing for a second consecutive state championship.

The lower seeded Rams proved their toughness Friday night with a road win over Logansport, 24-23, setting up a semifinal showdown next week with No. 1 seed Oak Grove.

Quarterback D’Andre Gaudia connected with wide receiver Trenton Grow for the game’s biggest play — a fade pattern touchdown with less than 10 seconds to go to give the Rams a one-point lead.

WSJH survived the ensuing kickoff and some questionable clock management by the officials to escape North Louisiana with a well-earned victory.

Coach Brandon Walters said Gaudia, a junior, stepped up big time with his signature pass, while also crediting Grow for the junior’s execution.

“It was a total team effort,” Walters said shortly after the win. “Our guys buckled down, and we got out of here with a win. We really played with a lot of tenacity and a no-quit attitude. This is huge to win on the road against a really good team.”

Walters said the Rams defense kept the game close after the offense missed numerous early opportunities to score that included three red zone trips without points.

“That shows the character of the team,” Walters said. “They just didn’t quit.

“We were ready to play on Monday; we just had to practice. I never told our players but I saw it all week.”