Jesuit and Escambia (FL) Kickoff Is Friday, September 16, at 7 PM

On the play that resulted in Jesuit’s first touchdown via air this season, quarterback Alex Watermeier fakes to running back Connor Prouet before launching a 57-yard missile to wide receiver Bryce Musso, who made a diving catch in St. Paul’s end zone.

Into the Lens: View the Jesuit – St. Paul’s Photo Gallery

Last season, Coach Mark Songy’s Blue Jays hopped aboard three buses and headed east for the Swamp and a first date with the Gators of Escambia High School. The Jays ended up chomping down on the Gators in their own backyard and returned home with a 28-17 win.

Now it’s Escambia’s turn to travel — on Friday, September 16, the Gators will head west to New Orleans, destination Tad Gormley Stadium (which at times is surrounded by swamp) to try to even the series with Jesuit.

Defensive back Evan Loria (10) pursues a Wolf runner in Week 2’s battle against St. Paul’s on the Northshore.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Pre-game tickets are available at Jesuit’s switchboard: $6 for adults and students and $3 for children (ages 6-11). All tickets purchased at Gormley are $8. Jesuit fans may purchase their tickets from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the switchboard (Banks Street entrance under the blue “J” awning). Tickets will also be sold in the Student Commons during Friday’s lunch hour.

Student IDs will not be accepted at the gate for this non-district game. Faculty and staff IDs, however, will be accepted and will also accommodate one additional person.

Jesuit (1-1) comes into Week 3 having shaken off its first loss of the new season, a 13-10 overtime win by St. Paul’s at Hunter Stadium in Covington. Escambia (1-2) won its first game last weekend against crosstown rival Catholic High. The Gators scored a touchdown in the waning seconds of the game to eke out a 36-32 victory.

One scouting report on the Gators has them listed as “very fast, very athletic.”

Coach Songy said the Jays are ready and eager to get back on the field in front of the larger home crowd that is anticipated at Gormley.

“Escambia is extremely talented all over the place – offense, defense, and special teams,” said Coach Songy. “We’ll have our hands full. They’re very stout defensively. They return a lot of starters from last year to a defense that gave us a lot of trouble. Offensively, they’re not quite as explosive as they were a year ago.”

Still, these Gators have teeth. The Jays have practiced hard all week and are not about to think lightly of their visiting opponents.

“Practice has gone extremely well this week,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in our defense. Offensively, we’ve gotten remarkably better in the last three days… Escambia is an option football team, so we have to play very sound option responsibilities on defense, and I’m confident we’re going to do that.

“Our special teams continue to improve,” Coach Songy added. “I feel we’re real solid going in and we just have to make the plays. And win the game.”

Into the Lens: View the Photo Gallery of the 2015 Jesuit – Escambia Game

View All Jesuit Football Galleries