DECLAWED THE COUGARS

- JENA GIANTS -

DECLAWED THE COUGARS District win against Grant 52-12 – Bunkie comes to Jena Friday

The Jena Giants continued their push through district play Friday night, traveling to Grant and delivering a dominant performance in a matchup that marked the return of an old district opponent.

Entering the contest with a 4-2 record and ranked No. 1 in the playoff power point standings, the Giants wasted little time establishing control against the 2-4 Grant Cougars. Jena’s offense was productive on the ground and through the air, while the defense made key plays to help the Giants leave Grant with an impressive 52-12 victory.

The matchup was the first between the programs in several years after Grant reentered the district – dropping down from 4A to 3A. Friday night’s meeting was the 28th overall between the two schools, with Jena holding a 20-7 advantage in the all-time series.

The Giants added another win to that history with a performance built around physical running, efficient passing and a balanced offensive attack.

Jena’s offense finished with 20 first downs and 458 total yards, including an impressive 361 rushing yards on 53 carries.

Senior running back Daniel Hatcher led the way with another outstanding performance, carrying the ball 17 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Hatcher’s ability to find running lanes and gain significant yardage helped the Giants control the tempo throughout the night.

Junior quarterback Jonas Jenkins contributed in multiple ways. Jenkins carried the ball seven times for 37 yards and a touchdown while completing five of seven passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

The Giants’ passing game provided another dimension to an offense that continued to find success on the ground.

Brittain Johnson hauled in three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown, while Ken Jones added a 32-yard touchdown reception on his lone catch of the night.

Jena also received productive performances from its other running backs.

Kaeden Kittlin finished with 16 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremiah Harrison made the most of his opportunities, recording six carries for 61 yards and a touchdown.

The production from Hatcher, Kittlin, Harrison and Jenkins demonstrated the depth of the Giants’ rushing attack and gave Grant multiple playmakers to account for throughout the contest.

While the offense piled up yards, the Jena defense continued to make its presence felt.

Junior linebacker Hayden Deville led the Giants with eight tackles, helping anchor a defensive effort that limited Grant’s opportunities to establish momentum.

Carter Nichols added six tackles and recovered a fumble, giving the Giants an important takeaway. Trent Tingle also finished with six tackles.

The defensive production complemented Jena’s offensive success, allowing the Giants to maintain control as they moved through another important district matchup.

With the victory over Grant behind them, the Giants will turn their attention to a return home this week against the Bunkie Panthers.

Bunkie enters the matchup with a 4-3 record, setting up another important test for Jena as the regular season continues.

The game will mark the Giants’ first home appearance in three weeks, giving Jena an opportunity to perform in front of its home crowd after a stretch of road games.

Coming off a productive offensive showing at Grant, the Giants will look to carry that momentum into the matchup against the Panthers.

With district play continuing to shape the postseason picture, every game becomes increasingly important. Jena will aim to protect its home field, continue building consistency on both sides of the ball and keep moving forward as the season approaches its final weeks.

Kickoff is at 7 pm. If you can’t make it to the game then you can watch all of the action live on www.jenagiantnetwork.

com starting at 6:30 with the pregame show.