ZACHARY – The two teams that stepped onto the turf at Bronco Stadium Friday night expect to still be playing football in December.
One team showcased exactly why its expectations are so high.
The other demonstrated that it has a long way to go to reach its goals.
Alexandria turned in a dominating performance, racing out to a five-touchdown lead in a 35-7 jamboree victory over Zachary in a game that featured two 12-minute halves.
The Trojans showcased their explosive ability on both sides of the football, and it was the defense that struck first. After Zachary forced a punt on the first Alexandria possession, the Broncos marched into plus-territory before disaster struck for the home team.
Alexandria senior linebacker Julius Sykes-Veal broke free on a blitz for a strip-sack of Zachary senior quarterback JaCori Platt, and Trojan junior defensive end Carter Rivet scooped up the ball and sprinted 53 yards for the first score of the game.
Alexandria coach Thomas Bachman said that play was pivotal in jumpstarting the Trojans.
“Now they’re chasing you,” Bachman said. “If nothing else changes, you win the ball game. It’s always important to try to score first. I hope I see a lot of that this year.”
Said Rivet: “After that play, we set the tone from there, and we blew them out after that.”
The Trojans needed just six plays to bust the game open and take a 21-0 lead after the first period.
Junior Noble Williams broke free up the middle and outraced the Bronco defense for a 54-yard touchdown to cap the Trojans’ second possession. After a Zachary 3-and-out and another big run by Williams, Alexandria senior quarterback and Lamar commitment Karsen Sellers hit senior slot receiver Reginald “Donut” Monroe on a simple out route that Monroe turned into a 29-yard TD as he raced down the right sideline.
Alexandria didn’t slow down in the second half, scoring on its first two drives after the intermission.
Williams capped a 58-yard drive with a powerful 5-yard TD run on the Trojans’ first possession of the second half to give them a 28-0 lead, and Sellers hit senior Maryland commit Alex Fontenot on a 19-yard TD to give Alexandria a five-touchdown lead.
Williams rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries in the two periods, while Sellers went 9-for-13 passing for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
Zachary, which struggled to run the ball against Alexandria’s defensive front, finally got on the board on its final possession as senior Jeremey Patton found some running room against the Trojans’ backups. After gaining just 23 yards on their 15 carries, the Broncos saw Patton bust runs of 44 and 33 yards, the latter going untouched into the end zone.
“I thought we played really dominant defense,” Bachman said. “A couple of plays here and there we’ve got to clean up, but I was really proud with how hard we played defensively and the plays we made in some crucial moments.”
RIVET THE TWO-WAY PLAYMAKER?
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Rivet, who is one of the nation’s top shot put and discus throwers, started all 12 of Alexandria’s games at left tackle last season as a sophomore. During the offseason, he flipped to the defensive side of the ball, but he hasn’t given up hope of impacting the Trojans’ offense.
After trading in last season’s No. 57 jersey worn by his older brother before him, Rivet is sporting his dad’s No. 87 this season. The number change was necessary because in addition to playing defensive end, Rivet is also in the Trojans’ rotation at tight end and H-back.
His scoop-and-score Friday night showed he has the ball skills to do some damage offensively. When asked if that play was an audition for Bachman for more offensive snaps, Rivet said “it might be – we’ll see.”
Williams said he was excited to see Rivet showcase his athleticism and get into the end zone.
“Carter, that’s my brother, that’s my best friend,” Williams said. “When I saw him, I couldn’t believe it. It almost brought tears to my eyes. He was moving. Don’t sleep on that speed. That really got us lit, got the whole sideline lit, and got us ready to perform.”
SYKES-VEAL SHINES FOR TROJANS
Sykes-Veal, the 6-foot, 200-pounder who is replacing three-year starter and two-time all-state linebacker Xzavier White, turned in his second straight strong showing in the middle of the Trojans’ defense.
In addition to his strip-sack, Sykes-Veal had another half-sack and finished the jamboree with nine total tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
Playing without three-year starting inside linebacker Jackson Townsend, who is expected to return next week after offseason shoulder surgery, the Trojans have relied heavily on Sykes-Veal’s motor and ability to make plays during preseason wins over Acadiana and Zachary the past two weeks.
Alexandria held out its senior defensive tackle and Mississippi State commitment Jaden Bayonne, who rolled his ankle against Acadiana, but the Trojans were still particularly strong against the run Friday night.
The undersized defensive line trio of Rivet, senior defensive end Gary Boatman and senior defensive tackle Jarell Miller were strong against the run, while Sykes-Veal and junior linebacker Amarian Simon (6 tackles, 0.5 sack) also turned in great showings.
“Honestly, I think our MVP was really Julius, our linebacker,” Rivet said. “He got two sacks. He caused my scoop and score. The defense was really locked in after that play.”
PLATT STRUGGLES WITH CONSISTENCY
Platt, who transferred from Central and earned the Broncos’ starting quarterback job during the offseason, showcased his strong arm Friday night, but also some inconsistency to iron out to help Zachary successfully sustain more drives.
At times, Platt looked poised and strong. He delivered a strike to senior Trikoby Rheams for 19 yards on his first attempt of the game. Later, he rolled right and threw a bullet to slot receiver Skylar Whitfield for another 19-yard gain.
On their final drive of the first half, as the Broncos moved into Alexandria territory, Platt connected with senior Ethan Kimmie for 18 yards on a key third-down conversion to extend the drive.
But Platt was sacked twice in the game, and a lost fumble on the strip-sack directly led to the Trojans’ first touchdown and immediately flipped the momentum of the game.
He only had one play where a misread nearly led to another costly mistake. On third-and-9 midway through the second period, Platt fired into triple coverage trying to find Kimmie for a first down, and a Trojan defensive back dropped an easy interception.
Platt completed 10 of 18 passes in the game for 71 yards, but only three of his completions went for more than 5 yards.
KIMMIE PLANS DECEMBER GRADUATION
Zachary senior receiver Ethan Kimmie makes a 19-yard reception during the Broncos’ 35-7 loss to Alexandria in jamboree action. (Photo: Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
Kimmie, the Broncos’ 6-foot-3 four-star receiver, only touched the ball one time Friday night, but his impact was felt all over the field.
A year after making a huge impact on the Broncos’ offense in his first year with the program, Kimmie started at both receiver and cornerback against the Trojans.
A star on the Broncos’ state-championship basketball team, Kimmie said he has decided to hang up his basketball jersey and plans to graduate in December to pursue college football.
Kimmie boasts offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Kentucky, Texas A&M, West Virginia and a host of in-state schools.
