Article written by Brother Neal Golden, S.C. '57 CJ
Brother Martin began the 2019 football season with a 35-14 thumping of Fontainebleau in the Ponchatoula jamboree. “Offensively, I was pleased with our run game,” says Brother Martin Head Football Coach Mark Bonis. “The line blocked very well, and the backs ran very well. Sophomore QB Garrett Mmahat did a good job with the RPOs (run-pass options). Our true passing game was out of sync a little bit. The special teams did some good things, but we were sloppy with substitutions at times. We have to clean up that portion of our game.”
Bonis continued, “The offensive line had a lot of starts among them last year. They’re bigger, stronger, and more experienced. Yet they’re all juniors. So we’re excited about the future with that group. Coach Ryan Zeringue does a great job with them, and Coach Jordan Greene ’11 has come back after playing at Southern Miss.” Including the tight ends, nine linemen rotated in the jamboree. The staff tried different combinations. “We’ve got to do it in case of injuries.”
The defensive front includes three returning starters and the secondary consists of veterans for the most part. “The group that has to grow the fastest is the linebackers. We lost three of our top performers on defense there. Our tackling was good last week for a first game but could be better. We’ll have to tackle well in space this week,” noted Bonis. The special teams are led by Senior Jack Landry, who will handle the punting and placekicking. “He’ll be a big weapon for us this year.” Bonis is also expecting big things from the kick returners. Depth has produced competition for the starting jobs.
The C.E. Byrd High Yellow Jackets travel from Shreveport on Friday for their first-ever meeting with Brother Martin. Veteran head coach Mike Suggs’s team was the #4 seed in the Division I playoffs last year.
Although their jamboree game last week was canceled after one series by a lightning storm, the Brother Martin staff has a good line of them. “They are a triple-option team. The quarterback has started the last two years. They’re very physical upfront. Our D line and linebackers will get a stern test. We watched them in person in their scrimmage at Ruston. It seemed like their offense was in mid-season form. No sloppiness. The quarterback handles the football like a yoyo. He does a great job with the pitch and on play-action passes.”
But defense is Byrd’s strength. “They return eight of last year’s eleven starters and swarm to the ball very well.”
Be in that number at Tad Gormley Stadium on Friday, Septemeber 6th at 7:00 p.m. for what promises to be an exciting evening of football.
- Brother Neal Golden, S.C. '57 CJ