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Lafayette Christian started their 2024 football campaign off in resounding fashion with a dominant 55-14 win over the Notre Dame Irish Wolfhounds.

The Cougars got the party started a couple minutes into the first quarter, with a Caleb Hilton touchdown run on a jet sweep. 

The LCS defense put on a clinic throughout the entire game, allowing just one score from Notre Dame.

“I was kind of worried it’s gonna be basketball scores. But the defense covered the field and  and they were gassed in the third quarter. They didn’t want to run, they didn’t want to do anything,” Pike said of the Notre Dame ofense.

The defense flexed their muscles early in the game to get quarterback David Karvelas the ball. Karvelas promptly scored on a 22-yard run. A long touchdown by freshman Wyatt Jeffcoat, would widen their lead to 19-0 by middle of the second quarter.

However, the Irish were fighters, as the defense intercepted in the Cougars red-zone and ran it back for a 90-yard touchdown. LaFayette answered with a shorter, but effective, 13-yard run from senior Noah Childree to finish the half up 25-6.

Childree, Karvelas and Jeffcoat carried the majority of the load on offense.

“We kind of hada three headed monster in the backfield,” Pike said.” We had David. Had 11 carries. Wyatt had nine carries. Noah add nine carries. We had 366 yards rushing. It was three guys replacing one big dude. But that’s kind of harder to defend, because you don’t know who’s getting the ball, where it’s going.”
This was in large part due to the work of the offensive line, who dominated the game.

“I wish I could show you the the film. They were pancaking guys,” Pike said. “They were ere getting a dude in a white jersey off the ground or on the ground on every play.”

Karvelas had an impressive game with his wheels and arm, finishing with 179 yards rushing.

The third was quiet until Notre Dame trudged down the field with 4 minutes left and scored its first offensive points to cut the LCS lead to 25-14. Karvelas once again answered, this time running over 30 yards to widen the Cougar lead. Jeffcoat also added his second TD in a Cougar uniform making it 39-14. 

“Last year was his first year playing, he second guessed himself, a lot, questioned himself. And so this year he’s a lot more confident,” Pike said. “He kind of knows what he’s doing and understands more of, hey, I need to do this when this happens, and just situational stuff.”

Notre Dame would not get on the board again, but Lafayette Christian was not finished. Jeffcoat and Karvelas were undoubtedly the stars of the evening. In a final bow, Karvelas punched in a final TD, after a Jeffcoat interception and return.  

“We got Eli  (Carroll) at defensive end. He led our team in tackles for a loss, he basically shut down the side of the field. And then we just had, we just had guys pursuing the ball, you know, safety’s, corners, linebackers, defensive line, chasing guys down the field. So it was a team effort. But Eli did a great job. Wyatt Jeffcoat actually led the team in tackles at linebacker, and so he played really good as well.”

Finally, a late TD from Cody Batistini capped the fun at 55-14.  The Cougars will return on Aug. 23 at 7:30 against Horizon Christian Academy at home