’Jacks, Cardinals will meet in battle of unbeatens in district

The Patterson Lumberjacks will welcome the E.D. White Cardinals Friday in a matchup of undefeated District 9-3A teams.
Both teams enter Friday’s contest undefeated as Patterson is 1-0 after routing Donaldsonville 45-13 a week ago, while E.D. White is 2-0 with wins against Donaldsonville (25-24) two weeks ago and a 46-6 win against Franklin last week.
Patterson head coach Chad Blanchard said Friday’s contest is “probably the biggest game of the season for us because there’s so much on the line, obviously a district championship, (keeping) a winning streak going for both teams.”
In last week’s win against the Hornets, E.D. White outgained Franklin in total offense, 265-121. The E.D. White defense sacked Franklin quarterback Tylon Ireland seven times and forced two turnovers.
Offensively, E.D. White gained 195 yards rushing, led by 54 from running back Darius Charles.
Quarterback Benjamin Sposito completed 4 of 9 passes in the contest for 70 yards with a score. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Mason Perque led E.D. White’s receivers Friday with two catches for 60 yards and a score, while Karion Brooks had two rushing touchdowns and 22 yards on five carries.
The Cardinals nearly shutout the Hornets, but Franklin got on the scoreboard with 17 seconds remaining via a 6-yard run by D’Andre Charles.
Jeremy Rounds leads the E.D. White rushing attack in its veer offense with 64 carries for 438 yards and three score, while Darius Charles isn’t far behind with 100 carries for 434 yards and seven touchdowns.
“They do a really good job running the football,” Blanchard said, noting the Cardinals will give the football a good bit to Charles, their fullback.
However, Blanchard said Rounds, Connor Chaisson and Sposito also get involved in the run game.
Chaisson, who has rushed 49 times for 127 yards, also has added four touchdown runs this season for the Cardinals.
Blanchard said the Cardinals will try to keep possession of the ball and drain the clock in Friday’s contest.
Through the air, Sposito has completed 30 of 54 passes for 393 yards and two scores, while Perque is the Cardinals’ leading receiver with eight catches for 125 yards and a score.
On defense, E.D. White lines up a 4-2-5 look.
“Defensively, they’re sound,” Blanchard said. “They’re always going to be sound.”
A week ago, Patterson and Donaldsonville each scored early as the game was tied at 7 following a Donaldsonville kickoff return with 10:10 remaining in the first quarter.
However, Patterson outscored Donaldsonville 38-6 the rest of the contest for the easy win.
Tristen Ausama, Sirbatian Charles and Mykel Jones all were leaders for the Lumberjacks’ offense. Ausama rushed 14 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns, while Charles completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Jones caught nine passes for 166 yards and all four of Charles’ touchdown passes.
Nehemiah Augustus also returned an interception 39 yards for a score.
Blanchard said his squad needs to have success early against the Cardinals Friday on offense, while on defense, the ’Jacks need to stop E.D. White.
Ausama, Jones and Charles, along with wide receiver and University of Alabama commit Daylon Charlot, lead the Lumberjacks’ offense this season.
Ausama has rushed 104 times for 700 yards and 11 touchdowns to lead Patterson’s ground game.
Charles also has rushed 60 times for 314 yards and two scores.
Through the air, Charles has completed 59 of 107 pass attempts for 1,094 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Jones leads Patterson’s receivers with 21 catches for 435 yards and seven touchdowns.
Charlot also has caught 14 passes for 393 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
Additional reporting by www.bayoupreps.com.