Caleb LeBlanc kicks as Jerry Horne holds against Liberty Magnet.
The Denham Springs High football team’s win over Franklinton was something special.
Da’Shawn McBryde returned an onside kick 60 yards for a late touchdown to cement the Yellow Jackets’ 28-20 road win over Franklinton on Thursday, solidifying a game in which the DSHS special teams were key.
“Again, that’s kind of been our focus is to make sure we make special teams special,” DSHS coach Brett Beard said after the Yellow Jackets moved to 4-0 for the first time since 1995. “We’ve got some key guys playing, and we need to feed off the momentum swings and the haymakers you can throw with special teams. That’s one thing with this team, you can see the growth. We were able to take advantage of that and then weather some storms, where in the past things could unravel and get away from us, these guys were right back to doing what they do and being who they are. We were able to weather the storms and just keep playing our game.”
The Yellow Jackets led 21-14 with 1:54 left in the game, but the Demons’ Zion Anders hit Kelly Daniels on a 64-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 21-20 after DSHS blocked the PAT.
That set up McBryde’s return of the ensuing onside kick for the game’s final score.
“He’s a dude now,” Beard said of McBryde. “That kid, he’s had an amazing offseason. He’s a special player. He’s gifted. He just needs more time to play. He started the last couple of games last year, and now he’s four games in this year, so the expectations are really off the chart for him because you see the growth. Playing is all you can do to get really good at football. You have to play, and you have to play under the lights with the live bullets flying and the atmospheres and the bands and everything else. You’ve got to learn how to fight through those jitters and you’ve got to get comfortable with it. That’s all you can do is play, and it takes a little time. Now you’re looking at a six-seven-game starter now going back to last year, and the kid’s game is elevating. It’s a testament to the buy-in he’s made in the offseason to himself and to this team. Now he’s producing.”
The Yellow Jackets trailed 7-0 after the Anders and Daniels connected on a 66-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game.
Denham knotted the score at 7-7 on Cam Kelly’s touchdown run and a PAT by Caleb LeBlanc.
Kelly finished with 194 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries while Ray McKneely added seven carries for 52 yards.
Reese Mooney went 6-for-13 for 87 yards, while Lionell Dawson led the DSHS receiving corps with two receptions for 48 yards.
Anders connected with Micah Hart on a 50-yard touchdown pass to put the Demons up 14-7.
The Yellow Jackets chipped away with Caleb LeBlanc hitting a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-10, a score that held up at halftime.
“You talk about it all the time, you’ve got to end every possession with a kick, whether it be a PAT, a field goal or a big punt that can flip the field and win the field position battle,” Beard said of LeBlanc. “When he’s on, he’s on. When he’s on, he’s as good as anybody, and (Thursday) night, he had a huge game for us on kickoffs with the onside kick and the sky kicks and then of course the points.”
McBryde had an interception which was wiped out, but the Yellow Jackets picked up a safety on the play on a holding call against the Demons in the end zone, cutting the lead to 14-12.
“Just because of the field position, I wasn’t going to take the two points off the board,” Beard said. “I’d rather take the points and get the football back. Any type of opportunity to make the big play, and of course everybody’s electric because of this pick, and then you find out no, you’ve got a safety. Oh, and we get the ball back. It’s really like a triple-whammy right there. It was three things right there that really caused the momentum to really throw in your favor, and it did. We were able to go down and kick the field goal. We were down at that time and before you know it, between a safety and a field goal, we’re up one.”
LeBlanc’s 21-yard field goal put the Jackets ahead 15-14.
The Yellow Jackets blocked a field goal attempt and a punt before Kelly scored on a 10-yard run, helping put DSHS ahead 21-14.
McBryde intercepted a pass at the DSHS 4 with 1:54 left in the game to set up the finish.
“It’s just a testament to Livingston Parish football and the growth we’re all having,” Beard said of the Yellow Jackets’ start to the season. “I think you know I’m not one to shy away from the fact that I love Livingston Parish football. I’ve been here for eight years now, love the changes that have taken place since I’ve been in the parish and the 5A schools competing and doing some really special things. I love it. Of course, to be 4-0 feels really good. We’re going to get back to us and focusing us and get ready for a huge game versus St. Thomas More (on the road next Friday).”
