Touchdown Live Game of the Week - Jennings Preview

JENNINGS, La. (KPLC) - The Jennings Bulldogs are scorching hot entering the final week of the season as they’re winners of their past five games, and seven of their last eight for a 7-2 overall record, and a 4-1 record against conference opponents. However, the Bulldogs’ week 10 opponent; the St. Louis Catholic Saints, enter with an identical overall, and district record, which makes Friday night’s game so intriguing.

Jennings didn’t get out to the start they hoped for this year as they dropped their season opener to Leesville, and were 2-2 through the first four weeks after their week four 35-28 loss to Iowa, but since then it seems as if the offense has clicked, but it doesn’t come as a surprise to Bulldogs Head Coach Bret Fuselier.

“We’re really executing well right now, offensively I know (Rejohn) Zeno has a lot of yards, but I think the people around him have stepped up and kind of taken the focus off of him. Our defense has played really well, but also our special teams has played well, I’ve been pleased with that aspect of things. Everyone is contributing to the cause here,” said Fuselier.

Wyatt Fontenot, a senior free safety for the Bulldogs, attributes the hot streak to Jennings’ mindset. “For me it’s our intensity, our intensity has changed and our mindset has changed a lot. It’s the mindset of the selfishness and stuff, we’ve gotten a lot less selfish and are thinking about the team instead of ourselves,” said Fontenot.

Jennings’ offense has been phenomenal, led by running back Rejohn Zeno, but their defense has been phenomenal as well. Through nine games Jennings has allowed just 133 combined points for an average of 14.78 per game, and in their seven wins they’ve been even better as they’ve allowed just 66 points for an average of 9.4 points per game, and for senior defensive end Owen Oliver, that has been a huge reason why they’ve had the success they’ve had thus far this season.

“I feel like we’ve just been playing as a team lately, and the defense has been playing lights out. We’ve had shutouts, and have had less than 14 points scored against us every game, except last week against prep, but it happens, and I just feel like we’ve been playing well as a team lately,” said Oliver.

Jennings’ defense will be put to the test on Friday night against a St. Louis team that’s scored 273 points this season for an average of 30.3 points per game, and senior cornerback Zae Douglas knows it’s going to be a challenge, but says the Bulldogs are up for it.

“They’re (St. Louis) a good quality opponent, so I feel like the big challenge will be getting out there, and we know what they want to do, they want to get out there and powerhouse run the ball, so I feel like that will be our biggest challenge, stopping the run, and if we do that, we can probably pull off the win,” said Douglas.

Friday’s game kicks off at 7:00 P.M. at Matt Walker Memorial Stadium as the Bulldogs, and Saints look to get one final win before the playoffs begin next week.

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