Justin Wang ‘25

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CRUMP STADIUM, September 22 – There was no way around it: this felt like a game that the Strake Jesuit Crusaders (0-4, 0-1 district) should have won. After going 0-3 in a challenging non-conference slate, the Crusaders needed a quality district win to start off their playoff chase, and an away game against the Alief Elsik Rams (3-1, 1-0 district) was the perfect opportunity to set the tone. Jesuit had the statistical edge as well, out-gaining the Rams 309 yards to 249 in five fewer offensive snaps, holding Elsik to a 4-14 third-down rate (29%), and intercepting three passes during the game. On paper, it should have been enough to secure a victory. Instead, the Crusaders suffered a deflating 21-26 loss that left them pondering the one-off mistakes and poor execution that came to define the game. “We struggled with the little things, attention to detail,” coach Donovan Fikac said afterwards.

Ultimately, the defeat came down to an Elsik 4th down from their own 40 yard-line with 1:43 left in the game. The Rams needed one yard to close the game, and a final plunge was just enough to pick up the game-clinching first down. In a way, the play epitomized Jesuit’s night: time and time again, momentum seemed to shift in their favor, only for an ill-timed mishap to swing the game back into the balance. When Elsik needed that final yard, they found a way to get it. The Crusaders weren’t nearly as fortunate. 

Jesuit threatened offensively throughout the night. Quarterback Luke Byman ‘25 threw for 123 yards on 9-15 passing and also had his best rushing performance so far, running 8 times for 60 yards. He showed off a combination of open-field elusiveness and physicality, finishing one scramble by barreling head-on into an Elsik defender. Meanwhile, sophomore running back Johnny Hebert picked up 95 yards and scored twice on 12 carries. Receiver Luke Omanga ‘25 had his best game thus far, catching three passes for 79 yards and a 49-yard touchdown, his first on the season. The offense only managed a 4-13 third-down rate, however, and despite multiple positive trends over the course of the game, they never established a sense of rhythm.

Executing in key moments proved a struggle for the Crusaders – Byman and Hebert accounted for the majority of Jesuit’s offense on the night, but they each lost fumbles that led to an Elsik score. Early in the second quarter, down 6-0, 4th and 7 from the Elsik 10, the Crusaders lined up for a field goal attempt to cut the deficit to 3. Instead, the Rams blocked the kick and returned it for a touchdown, putting Jesuit down 12-0 and fighting – for the fourth straight game this season – to pull out of an early hole. In what proved to be a relatively even matchup, the 9-point swing changed the complexion of the game. “We have to be better with knowing what special teams unit we’re on at every point during the game,” Fikac said.

Despite the loss, the Crusader defense played by far its best full game of the season. Taking away Elsik’s 13 points off fumble returns, Elsik’s offense scored only 13 points on two touchdowns. “Our defense stood up and played like they’re capable of playing,” Fikac noted. If Jesuit found offensive tempo hard to come by, the Rams spent much of the night struggling mightily to move the ball. When they did threaten, the defense came up with big stops to keep the game deadlocked. The Crusaders forced two turnovers on downs in their own territory and had three interceptions of Elsik quarterback Kaden Mendenhall, two by sophomore corner Bryce Samuels ‘26 and one by linebacker Emmanuel Humber. Two of those interceptions came inside the Elsik red zone. Samuels’ interceptions were his 3rd and 4th of the season, and Humber added six tackles to go along with his fourth-quarter pick. As usual, lineman Jackson Priesmeyer ‘24 led the team in tackles with 10 (six solo). After surrendering an average of 44 points per game to start the season, the defense more than held up its end of the bargain. 

Despite the numerous positives, the Crusaders sit at 0-4, their worst start since 2013. A lack of complementary football has been the team’s chief flaw thus far, and it was on display again with Elsik’s go-ahead touchdown drive – a drive that started in their red zone after a strip sack. No matter how valiantly the Jesuit defense played, it was too much to ask.“We have to score when we’re in the red zone,” Fikac said, “and we have to not turn the ball over when we’re backed up on their side of the field.” In the end, the Crusaders came up short when it came to the little things: special teams blocking, ball security, moving the chains on offense. Against Elsik, those tiny mistakes came back to bite them. With a challenging district slate looming, Jesuit must improve in those areas to stay competitive over the rest of the season.