1958

In 1958, the Tigers and the Blue Jays were the cream of the crop in the Catholic League and their game, played on Sunday, November 23, was the final game of the regular season for both and it was the championship game for the league. The Jays rose to the occasion and handed the Tigers a decisive defeat. 1958 was the introductory season for Jesuit single wing tailback Pat Screen, who would go on to lead the team to three straight titles and a state championship. During the three seasons that Screen led the team on the field, Jesuit defeated all regular season opponents except for one group of Tigers. That would be the Pensacola Tigers. The Florida team whipped the Jays in each of those three years, and each time marring an otherwise perfect season.

After their win over Holy Cross, Jesuit went on to the state playoffs, losing to Istrouma by a whopping 39-0. One wonders how this fine group of Blue Jay athletes could possible lose by such a decisive margin.

Rising to their highest mental peak of the season and playing by far their best game of the year, the Jesuit Blue Jays Sunday defeated the Holy Cross Tigers, 28-7, in the Catholic League's championship game before a modern top crown of 20,000 fans.

It was the Jays' homecoming game and the victory climaxed what Congressman F. Edward Hebert, a Jesuit alumnus called the finest homecoming celebration.

Sophomore sensation Pat Screen and Adrian Colon were the big offensive stars for the Jays who failed to score only in the fourth quarter. Holy Cross got its touchdown in that period.

The 15-year-old youngster, tabbed better than the sensation of years gone by, John Petitbon, scored three touchdowns. Colon got the other and Charles Ducote had a perfect day, booting four for four from placement.

Winner of the Gernon Brown trophy as the outstanding freshman last year, Screen gained 181 of his team's 348 yards rushing. He completed four of nine passes for 62 yards. Colon picked up 127 yards and scored once.

Moving into the shoes of injured Mike Rooney, Colon got his 127 yards in 12 tries, while Screen's 183 came on 25 carries.

By virtue of their victory the Blue Jays qualified to play Southeast District Champion Istrouma Indians in a first round playoff game.

Jesuit moved 86 and 80 yards for two touches, 34 and 29 yards for the other two.

Holy Cross went 38 yards for its only six pointer, which came after the fourth Jesuit touchdown. Larry King passed to Nunez for 11 yards on the second play after the Tigers got the ball to the six on a 15-yard penalty against the Jays.

Darryl Massey paced the line play of the Blue Jays on defense. His performance was just a shade over that of the other front liners. Jesuit had to be ready to be able to hold the Tigers to 67 yards rushing. Passing they gave up 86 yards with King completing 7 of 21.

Jesuit kicked off to Holy Cross, the Tigers were guilty of clipping and penalized back to the six. On the first play from scrimmage they were offsides and set back to the one. In three plays they got but seven and Billy Truax punted to the 34. From here the Jays went for a score in four plays.

On the first play they were penalized back to the 38 for illegal procedure but Screen got that five yards back on the next play, then a short pass to Pat Berrigan netted 15 yards. Adrian Colon got two, and then Screen went for 17 around right end for the score. Ducote converted to give the Blue and White a 7-0 lead.

Jesuit kicked off to Holy Cross and the Tigers returned the kickoff from the nine back to the 27. Then they moved mainly through the air with King passing to Truax, Rappold running 10, followed by King to Truax, and a couple of runs to the Jays' 37 - here they bogged down. Truax punted to the 14, and (the Jays) went straight down the field for a score in eight plays.

Screen got eight, Colon five, Screen three, a penalty set they Jays back five. Screen got three of it back, then Larry Ward, on an end around, picked up 16 and a first down. Screen got ten, but again Jesuit was set back five yards. Screen picked it up to move the ball to the Jay 49. Screen passed 38 yards to Ward, who was forced out of bounds by King at the 13. On the play Holy Cross was guilty of unnecessary roughness and penalized back to the one from where Colon went over. Ducote again converted.

Holy Cross took the kickoff and managed to move down to the 36-yard line of the Jays and there they were forced to kick. Truax punted over the goal line and the Jays marched 80 yards for a score. Colon got five, Screen got 20, Colon picked up 53 to the one, and then Screen went over. Ducote converted and the half ended with the Jays up 21-0.

Dennis Pilney recovered a fumble by Truax after the Tiger 6' 4" end took in an aerial from King that had gained 23 yards to put the Tigers on the Jays' 16.

Jesuit moved down to the Holy Cross 30 from where Screen was tossed for a five-yard loss.

A two-yard punt by Colon gave the Tigers the ball at the 32. The ball see-sawed back and forth once, and then a poor kick by Truax following a punt by Colon went into the end zone. Jesuit got the ball on the Tiger 27. In two plays, a 10-yard jaunt by Colon, and a 17-yard run by Screen made the score 27-0. Ducote converted to make it 28-0.

A beautiful 53-yard kickoff return by George Cortez, to the Jesuit 27, where Ropollo ran him out - set up Holy Cross' only score. It was followed by a 16-6ard pass from King to Truax that ended the third period with the ball on the Jesuit 21.

Jesuit was penalized 15 yards for roughness to the six, Nunez was tossed for a five-yard loss to the 11, and then King passed to Nunez for the score. Johnson converted.

We Were Hot For This One - Tarzetti

Tiger Quarters Scene of Despair

By JOHN JOLY

A cheering Jesuit Blue Jay team stampeded into their dressing room following their convincing 28-7 victory over Holy Cross Sunday and were slapping each other on the back, while cheering thousands outside the door chanted, "All the way, Blue Jays!"

Father Harry S. Crane, S. J., the Jesuit Blue Jay president, escorted the team into their quarters and they immediately joined in prayer. There was no doubt that the Jays played Sunday's game for their late coach, Eddie Toribio and for their injured alternate captain, Mike Rooney, who has been sitting out the last three Jesuit games in a wheelchair or on crutches as a result of torn ligaments and cartilage operation.

Jesuit made a grand comeback, after being knocked from the ranks of the undefeated class by the Pensacola team in their intersectional battle, as Tarzetti won a family dispute from John Kalbacher, the Tiger coach, who is Ken's brother-in-law.

Coach Ken Tarzetti, walking in behind the players and wearing a grin from ear to ear, was jubilant, as were assistant coaches, M. L. Lagarde, Bill Brown, and Will Billon.

Brown had predicted before the season began that if the Jays didn't win this year, they should quit. Well, the Jays are still in business.

"It was a good game for us," said Tarzetti, "It was definitely one of our better games. The blocking was especially good and our boys were keyed up for this one.

"Three of our boys, Larry Ward, Captain Parker Hudson, and Chuck Staub, who was playing his first game following an appendicitis operation, after the Baton Rouge game, in which we lost Mike Rooney, were shaken up but we will be okay for our next encounter."

Over in the Holy Cross dressing room, the scene was not too joyful. The boys were blue and dejected.

"We just weren't up for the game. The Blue Jays were and they won. Phil Guttuso, our regular end, hurt his shoulder during practice Tuesday and of course his absence from the lineup didn't help, either," said Kalbacher.

Henry Primeaux, a tackle, also missed the game. He suffered a concussion last week, but the Tigers did have the services of Tom Kesler, who played for the first time since an early season concussion.

The Istrouma Indians' official family, principal "Little Fuzzy" Brown, assistant Clyde Lindsay, head coach "Big Fuz" Brown and his assistants were visitors in the press box scouting the Jays. Jesuit will meet the defending state champions in their next outing.

Congressman F. Edward Hebert, manager, coach and player of the early Jesuit Blue Jays, G. Gernon Brown, player-coach and later head coach for 25 years and George Palermo of the Blue Jays of old were also spectators from the press box.

STATISTICS	HC	Jays
First downs	6	19
Rushing yardage	67	348
Passing yardage	86	62
Total offense	153	410
Passes A-C-I	21-7-2	9-4-1
Punts-Avg.	5-22.2	4-21
Yards penalized	33	75
Fumbles lost	2	1

LINEUPS	HOLY CROSS	JESUIT
Ends	Tom Kesler, Billy Truax, Lynch, Lagraize	Doug Bostick, Krtuak, Bobby Boasberg, Larry Ward, Darryl Massey, Pat Berrigan
Tackles	P. Calamari, Krupp, Brechtel	Pizzo, Ut Winters, Oertling, R. Eigenbrod, Ronniger
Guards	Mike Calamari, Farris, Crais, Brunner, Landry	Charlie Ducote, Becker, Van Zandt, Parker Hudson
Centers	Besselman, Dazet, Grussaute	Lagarde, Miller, Larry Ecuyer
Backs	Faust, King, Broussard, Vitter, Nunez, Stouder, Rappold, Ballard, Johnston, Monie, George Cortez	Rappolo, Kenny Adolph, Didier, Adrian Colon, Chuck Staub, Fred Eigenbrod, Dennis Pilney, Pat Screen, Marr, Reising

Opponent	Jesuit	Opp.	Comments
Terrebonne	26	21
McDonough	39	0
Redemptorist	12	0
Murphy (Ala.)	45	7
St. Aloysius	34	13
Baton Rouge	19	0
De La Salle	48	13
Pensacola	7	27	(L)
Holy Cross	28	7
Istrouma	0	39	So. La. Playoffs (L)

The Football Tradition for the Prep League in 1958

The Football Tradition for the Prep League in
1958