Post by Raven on Sept 30, 2015 12:01:39 GMT -6
It's been 9 years since the Eagles have taken on the Southern Lab Kittens. That was a 25-16 semi-final playoff game won by the Eagles to send them into the 2006 championship game. That Lab team was led by future LSU all-american Chad Jones. He literally did everything for that team. He was QB on offense, safety on defense, he was the punter, kicker, punt returner and kick returner. There may have been 2 plays the entire game that he didn't handle the ball for the Kittens. He was an outstanding talent.
The Kittens hold a 10-3 advantage in the overall series, and won every game played through the first 9 meetings between the schools. In a series that started in 1970, St. John did not beat Lab on the football field until 1999.
Speaking of 1970...
St. John was put into a new 9-team district that year. With an open date, that meant all but one game that season was a district game. Along with St. John; Cottonport, Simmsport, Livonia, Catholic-PC, Southern Lab, University, Brusly and Episcopal were all part of the new 7-1A that season. Just 2 years prior to that, Southern Lab had won the LILIAO state championship and was the runner-up in 1969 (the final year for that league). All of those schools joined the LHSAA beginning in 1970.
Southern Lab won that first match-up 38-8. Included in that scoring for Lab was a 90 yard punt return by Greg Handy, which is still the longest punt return ever against an Eagle special teams unit. St. John threw 3 INTs and gave up 2 fumbles, but also intercepted Lab QB Vaness Stewart 5 times, which ranks 3rd all-time in most INTs in one game by an Eagle defense. Lab was flagged for 200 yards in penalties, which still stands as the most penalty yards marked off against an Eagle opponent.
The two schools would not play again until the 1979 season. From 79-86 they schools were in same 1A district and Lab won all 8 games played during that span.
The 1986 game was the largest margin of victory for the Kittens over the Eagles as they won 55-6. Interesting side note to that game, starting senior lineman Darin Himel showed up to practice the Monday before the game with a splint on his pinky finger claiming it was sprained and he could not play. 2 freshman lineman would alternate as his substitute during the game. One of them, Brett Harrell, father of current St. John assistant coach Chris Harrell, blocked the extra point after the Eagles' only TD that game by getting hit so hard that he was knocked backward into the kick. As far as I know he is the only player in St. John history to block his own team's extra point attempt. Sorry Chris, I had to tell that story.
Darin was miraculously better for the following week's game against Woodland high school from Greensburg.
In 1999 St. John and Southern Lab agreed to a home-home series for the 99 and 2000 seasons. St. John gained its first ever win over the Kittens in the 1999 game by a 34-0 score. The Eagles scored 2 defensive touchdowns and All-state running back Tim Bracken scored 3 more to go along with 226 yards rushing. Eagle defensive lineman Frankie Canova tied a school record for fumble recoveries in one game with 3, including 1 in the endzone that resulted in a score. The Eagle defense tied for 3rd place in fewest rushing yards allowed in a game, limiting the Kittens to -29 yards on the ground.
Other records vs Southern Lab:
1970 - Eagles defense tied for 3rd place for most INTs in one game with 5.
1979 - The Eagles tied for 4th place in most fumbles lost in one game when they gave up 5 to the Kittens.
1979 - The Eagles tied for 2nd place in most INTs thrown in one game with 4.
1979 - Combined, it ranks #1 as the game with the most turnovers given up in one game by St. John. (9)
1982 - Eagle running back Crockett Hargrove had the 3rd longest kick
return in school history when he took one back 91 yards against the
Kittens.
1986 - 5th most passing yards given up by a St. John defense. (256)
1999 - Defensive lineman Luke Avants had the 5th longest fumble return for a TD, going 44 yards.
2006 - The Eagle defense tied for 5th place in most sacks in one game with 6.
The Kittens hold a 10-3 advantage in the overall series, and won every game played through the first 9 meetings between the schools. In a series that started in 1970, St. John did not beat Lab on the football field until 1999.
Speaking of 1970...
St. John was put into a new 9-team district that year. With an open date, that meant all but one game that season was a district game. Along with St. John; Cottonport, Simmsport, Livonia, Catholic-PC, Southern Lab, University, Brusly and Episcopal were all part of the new 7-1A that season. Just 2 years prior to that, Southern Lab had won the LILIAO state championship and was the runner-up in 1969 (the final year for that league). All of those schools joined the LHSAA beginning in 1970.
Southern Lab won that first match-up 38-8. Included in that scoring for Lab was a 90 yard punt return by Greg Handy, which is still the longest punt return ever against an Eagle special teams unit. St. John threw 3 INTs and gave up 2 fumbles, but also intercepted Lab QB Vaness Stewart 5 times, which ranks 3rd all-time in most INTs in one game by an Eagle defense. Lab was flagged for 200 yards in penalties, which still stands as the most penalty yards marked off against an Eagle opponent.
The two schools would not play again until the 1979 season. From 79-86 they schools were in same 1A district and Lab won all 8 games played during that span.
The 1986 game was the largest margin of victory for the Kittens over the Eagles as they won 55-6. Interesting side note to that game, starting senior lineman Darin Himel showed up to practice the Monday before the game with a splint on his pinky finger claiming it was sprained and he could not play. 2 freshman lineman would alternate as his substitute during the game. One of them, Brett Harrell, father of current St. John assistant coach Chris Harrell, blocked the extra point after the Eagles' only TD that game by getting hit so hard that he was knocked backward into the kick. As far as I know he is the only player in St. John history to block his own team's extra point attempt. Sorry Chris, I had to tell that story.
Darin was miraculously better for the following week's game against Woodland high school from Greensburg.
In 1999 St. John and Southern Lab agreed to a home-home series for the 99 and 2000 seasons. St. John gained its first ever win over the Kittens in the 1999 game by a 34-0 score. The Eagles scored 2 defensive touchdowns and All-state running back Tim Bracken scored 3 more to go along with 226 yards rushing. Eagle defensive lineman Frankie Canova tied a school record for fumble recoveries in one game with 3, including 1 in the endzone that resulted in a score. The Eagle defense tied for 3rd place in fewest rushing yards allowed in a game, limiting the Kittens to -29 yards on the ground.
Other records vs Southern Lab:
1970 - Eagles defense tied for 3rd place for most INTs in one game with 5.
1979 - The Eagles tied for 4th place in most fumbles lost in one game when they gave up 5 to the Kittens.
1979 - The Eagles tied for 2nd place in most INTs thrown in one game with 4.
1979 - Combined, it ranks #1 as the game with the most turnovers given up in one game by St. John. (9)
1982 - Eagle running back Crockett Hargrove had the 3rd longest kick
return in school history when he took one back 91 yards against the
Kittens.
1986 - 5th most passing yards given up by a St. John defense. (256)
1999 - Defensive lineman Luke Avants had the 5th longest fumble return for a TD, going 44 yards.
2006 - The Eagle defense tied for 5th place in most sacks in one game with 6.