On Tap Are Three Matches, Including Two District Games Against Grace King and Brother Martin

Christian de Gracia and an Irish defender battle each other for control of the ball. The Jays ended up with a corner kick on the play.

Into the Lens: View the Jesuit – Grace King Soccer Photo Gallery

Into the Lens: View the 2016-17 Jesuit Soccer Photo Galleries

The week of January 23 will be a hectic one for Jesuit soccer, beginning with a District 9I match against the Irish of Grace King on Tuesday, January 24, at John Ryan Stadium. Prior to the 6:30 p.m. kickoff, senior Blue Jays and their parents will be recognized at the annual “Senior Night.”

The Blue Jays returned from Ocean Springs on Saturday, January 21, with a 3-2 win over the Greyhounds. While the win was the Jays’ seventh consecutive victory, the match in Mississippi also snapped the team’s eight-game streak of not allowing a goal.

Two juniors led the offensive attack against the Greyhounds: Braden Brignac popped in a pair of goals and Christian de Gracia added a solo. Credited with assists on at least two of the goals were Chris Petrie and Chris Tadros. The win in Ocean Springs improves Jesuit’s overall record to 14-3-4. The Jays’ District 9I record is 4-0-1 (the single tie a scoreless game against the Patriots of John Ehret).

Braden Brignac soars for this header in the Grace King game from Tuesday, January 17.

On Wednesday, January 25, the Jays play Newman in a non-district match on the Greenies’ home field, located behind the school on Jefferson Avenue. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m.

On Saturday, January 28, the Jays will have the long-anticipated showdown against the Crusaders in what will be a final District 9I match for both teams. The game takes place at Brother Martin’s soccer field located behind the school on Elysian Fields Avenue. Kickoff for the Jesuit – Brother Martin match is 1 p.m.

The Jays and the Crusaders were scheduled to play a non-district match on Thursday, January 19, at The Ryan, but weather nixed this game.

This is the first season marking an unusual arrangement agreed to by the coaches and athletic directors of Division I teams, including Jesuit, Brother Martin, Rummel, Chalmette, L.W. Higgins, John Ehret, and Grace King. In the past, district opponents played each other twice with both games counting as “district” games. That has been amended this season so that some teams play each other only once, with the match counting as a district game. Some teams will play each other twice, but only one game will count.

Immediately before the final whistle sounded in the Jesuit – Grace King game on January 17, Ashton Perkins is nudged and prepares to hit the deck.

Hence, Jesuit played John Ehret only once, back on January 3. The game ended in a scoreless tie and counted as a district game. Jesuit played L.W. Higgins only once, back on January 5. The 8-0 win by Jesuit counted as a district game. Jesuit played only one game against Bonnabel and Chalmette. The Jays won both matches, which counted as district games.

The Jays opened their 2016-17 season with a non-district match against Rummel back on November 19. The game, which resulted in a 2-1 Jesuit win, was played on the Raiders’ home field. Jesuit and Rummel played each other the second time on January 14, a district match that resulted in a 5-0 shutout by the Jays.

Likewise, Jesuit was scheduled to play Brother Martin twice this season, not counting the abbreviated match between the two rivals in December at the St. Paul’s Holiday Invitational Tournament, where the Crusaders eeked out a 1-0 “own goal” win.

Thus, the game between Jesuit and Brother Martin that was canceled last Thursday, January 19, would have been a non-district match. The game that will be played this Saturday (January 28) at Brother Martin will count as a district match.

The Jays close out their regular season schedule with a non-district away game, traveling to Houma on Monday, January 30, for a 6:30 p.m. match against the Terriers of Vandebilt High School.

The Division I playoffs begin a few days later with the power rankings determining who plays whom.