Gonzaga Holds Off Jesuit in Sacramento

03.09.2023HS Boys

Gonzaga HS defeated Jesuit of Sacramento Thursday night in the first game of Gonzaga's short Northern California tour.

These two school teams have a long and storied history. For five years in a row from 2013 through 2017 they met in the Boys HS National Championships Single-School bracket final, with Gonzaga winning three and Jesuit winning two.

Gonzaga arrived in Sacramento Wednesday night and needed to start strong to shake off the travel; they didn't so much. Jesuit battled hard and took a lead of 8-0 going into the halftime break. It was rainy and muddy and it took a while for Gonzaga to figured out the best game plan to handle that.

Once Gonzaga started to kick for field position, and garner a couple of 50-22s (kick from your own half, bounce it into touch inside the opposing 22 and you get the lineout throw).

That put Gonzaga in position to score and they logged a converted try before the halftime break before adding three tries in the second half to Jesuit's one. No. 8 Burke Carroll led from the front and was a huge influence on the game. Joey Reis and Kieran Downs at scrumhalf and flyhalf, plus fullback Emmett Cook, controlled the field-position game masterfully.

"We had a few chances to make it closer," said Jesuit Head Coach Andrew Acosta. "We drove in one maul. They drove two in and their kicking game was probably the difference."

It was a good showing from Jesuit, which is clawing its way back to the higher end of national prominent.

"For a muddy game in March, I'll take it," said Acosta, whose side faces De La Salle this weekend. "Both teams will be better in May."

Added Gonzaga Head Coach Peter Baggetta, "even with the conditions it was a great game by two excellent teams."