GALLERYThe Rangers sent a clear message to District 9-6A of the University Interscholastic League (UIL); Jesuit is ready for the challenge of a rigorous run through league play. Jesuit posted its second shutout of the 2015 campaign, upending Sunset, 52-0, on Thursday evening at Sprague Stadium.
Totaling 262 yards of offense, Jesuit's ground game was in full force Thursday, collecting 167 net yards on 28 team touches to average 6.0 yards per carry. Seniors
Matt Smith and
Max Loughborough each ran for a touchdown, with Smith tacking on three touchdowns through the air, where he finished 8-of-11 for 70 yards. Junior
Jacob Palisch threw for a touchdown in the Rangers' second drive of the game, while seniors
Connor Lanpher,
Mack Wageman, and
Preston Sledge alongside sophomore
Fletcher Rosenbleeth snagged touchdown receptions.
Defensively, the Rangers (3-1, 1-0 UIL 9-6A) kept the Bison (0-4, 0-1 UIL 9-6A) in check, only allowing a pair of first downs in the contest. Jesuit forced five Sunset turnovers, including three recovered fumbled and a pair of interceptions highlighted by an electric pick-six by senior
Esteban Garcia. Seniors Emmett Flood and
Joseph Stautner joined junior
Matt Eubanks and sophomore Hank Bitterman with a squad-leading three stops, with Flood tacking on two tackles for loss.
Jesuit established momentum early, as Brooks snagged a Sunset fumble on the Bison's first offensive play, giving the Rangers a short field. Loughborough cashed in on the ensuing play, scoring his fourth touchdown of the season from seven yards out to give the Blue and Gold an early, 7-0 lead. An eight-play, 50-yard Jesuit drive ended with a touchdown pass from Palisch to Lanpher from 25 yards out on fourth and 16, putting the visitors up 14-0.
The Ranger defense joined the fray on the ensuing Bison possession, as Garcia picked off a post route pass and took it the distance, shaking off a slew of defenders to find pay dirt with 4:51 remaining in the first. The first quarter scoring ended with a pass from Smith to Wageman from nine yards out after another Sunset fumble, giving the visitors a 28-0 advantage heading into the second quarter.
Smith added a 14-yard pass to Sledge and a seven-yard strike to Rosenbleeth in the second quarter, spotting the Rangers a 45-0 halftime lead completed by a 38-yard field goal by senior
Marco Navarro. Smith scored Jesuit's final touchdown with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter, running into the end zone from 19 yards out to complete an eight-play, 70-yard second half-opening drive.
Jesuit returns to Postell Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m.to battle the Skyline Raiders currently ranked No. 4 in the area and No. 10 in the state of Texas.
