Every high school program in Louisiana aspires to still be playing football when Thanksgiving comes around. If you make it that far it means you have made it to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs and are one of the few teams left in the state to be fortunate enough to still be playing.
For years the Jena Giants would be at home during Thanksgiving week. In the 2000 season the Giants for the first time would get to play the Friday after Thanksgiving as they would make it to the quarterfinal round for the first time in school history. It would take the Giants 20 years to get back to that point. From 2013 to 2019 the Giants season would end in either the first or second round as they would be unable to get over the hump and get past the second round. Finally in 2020 the Giants made it to the quarterfinals for the first time in 20 years and then last season the Giants would do something that they have never done and that is make it to the semifinals.
This past Friday night, the Giants would be attempting to do something once again for the first time in school history and that is make it to the quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons. With the Giants’ victory over Caldwell in the first round, they would move on to the second round where they would play the Port Allen Pelicans. Port Allen pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the first round as the #23 Pelicans defeated #10 Church Point. The matchup in the game would be the Pelican’s speed versus the Giants’ physicality. The captains for the Giants were seniors Triston McLendon, Jacob Belcher, Zach Scales, and Colten Sharp. The Giants would win the toss and would defer to the second half.
For the third straight game, the Giants would get off to a fast start. The defense would force Port Allen to punt on their first drive and then would recover fumbles on the next two drives. The Giants wouldn’t waste any time scoring as on the 2nd offensive play Sedrick Wilson would score on a 44-yard touchdown run to put the Giants up 8-0. On the Giants second offensive drive, they would show off their physicality as they would go on a 13-play, 58-yard drive, ending with a Daniel Hatcher 3-yard touchdown run. Hatcher would then add an 18yard touchdown run to put the Giants up 24-0 going into the second quarter. Port Allen would come back with a couple of touchdowns of their own by star player Brennan Gibson but every time the Giants would answer. Daniel Hatcher would score his third and fourth touchdowns of the night to put the game away. The Giants would take a 40-14 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Sedrick Wilson would increase the Giants lead with a 13-yard touchdown run. The Giants would put the game away in the third quarter as quarterback Deuce McPherson would find receiver Zadrien Cooper all by himself down the field for a 68-yard touchdown pass to put the Giants up 5620. That would be the final score as the Giants would defeat the Pelicans to move on to the quarterfinal round. The Giants would score on all seven two-point conversion attempts. They would also rush for 370 yards in the game.
Jena quarterback Deuce McPherson and receiver Zadrien Cooper would connect to pick up a couple of big first downs. Cooper would finish with three receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. Sedrick Wilson would lead the Giants with 21 carries for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Daniel Hatcher is having a great playoffs as he had 17 carries for 132 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hatcher now has seven touchdowns in the playoffs for the Giants.
Jena defensive linemen Bubba Stevens, Nolan Williams and Colten Sharp would all have two tackles for loss each in the game. Giants’ safety Xavier Brown finished with four tackles and an interception in the game. With the victory, the Giants for the second year in a row will be playing on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Loreauville (#15) de- feated Erath (#2) 28-7 in their second-round contest. This year the LHSAA made a new rule where the higher seed hosts each game of the playoffs, so the Giants will host the #15 Loreauville Tigers in the quarterfinal round this Friday night.
This will be another game where the Giants will need a great crowd on hand to give the Giants a great home field advantage, so everyone make plans to be there. Kickoff will be at 7:00 p.m. at Guy Campbell Memorial Stadium. If you can’t make it to the game then you can hear all the live action on 102.7 KJNAFM starting at 6:00 with Jena Giants pre-game. If you are not in the listening area then you can download the MIXLR app and search for KJNAFM or go online at www.kjnafmjena. mixlr.com.
Photos from the game:
