Bulldogs sprint out of gate with 49-0 win over Northside

Cecilia scores on 8 of 9 possessions, shuts out Vikings

– The Cecilia High Bulldogs had the Dawg Pound rocking all night Friday as they scored on every offensive possession except one to end the first half in blasting Northside 49-0 in the 2026 football season opener for both teams.

Cecilia jumped out to a 27-0 lead in the first quarter, added two TDs in the second period and scored once in each of the final two quarters with the clock stopping in the second half only for time outs, hydration breaks and changes of quarter or possession.

“We came out of the gate hot,” Cecilia head coach Cody Champagne said. “Northside was a team that was much improved. We didn’t have a lot of film on them so we were worried about them. But our guys had a very good week of practice and they came out and executed.”

The Bulldogs’ first possession of the game was their longest by both number of plays and time off the clock, driving 70 yards on 10 plays with quarterback Layne Champagne scoring on a two-yard run to cap the series with 9:28 left in the first period.

Aiden Landry booted the point-after, after a couple of penalties, for a 7-0 lead.

Cecilia’s special teams set up the next two touchdowns, starting with a blocked punt by Broderick Patt Jr.

Three snaps later, Braylon Calais ran in from the 2-yard line to cap a threeplay, 33-yard drive and Landry kicked the PAT for a 14-0 lead with 5:55 left in the period.

Calais set up another touchdown with a 43-yard punt return to the Northside 10. Franky Frank scored on an eight-yard speed sweep with 7:11 left in the opening quarter to push the lead to 21-0 following the PAT.

Landry also showed off a strong leg on kickoffs when asked to, though the Bulldogs used a few onside kicks as well.

“We missed on a few onside kicks that were close,” Cody Champagne said. “We’re putting it all together. We’ve just got to keep working next week.”

Following another Northside punt, it took only one snap for the ’Dogs to hit paydirt again as Calais raced 58 yards on a reverse from Deondre Briscoe, making it 27-0 with less than a minute to go in the first quarter. The PAT was wide left.

Northside had its best possession of the game on its next series, moving the ball to the Cecilia 18 before stalling there on an incomplete fourth-down pass broken up by Frank.

Cecilia’s ensuing possession was fraught with penalties by both squads as Northside was flagged three times for 25 yards and the Bulldogs were penalized twice for 10 yards, but that didn’t stop CHS from driving 82 yards in seven plays, scoring on a fantastic one-handed reception in the end zone by Ashton Ruffin over a defender on a 13-yard throw by Layne Champagne. The PAT by Landry made it 34-0 with 5:17 left in the half.

Cecilia added one more touchdown in the half following another punt by the Vikings.

Briscoe galloped 29 yards up the middle on the first snap of the series and scored two plays later on an eight-yard run with 5:43 to go in the half. The PAT was blocked, leaving the score at 40-0.

The Bulldogs had only one more possession in the half, taking over with 20.9 seconds in the second quarter and running two plays.

Briscoe led all rushers with 141 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. He also had one reception for 13 yards.

The senior runner credited the offensive line for his success and the team’s overall offensive prowess.

“They did a great job tonight,” Briscoe said. “We had a lot of looks.”

Ruffin had three receptions for 29 yards and the touchdown. Champagne went 8-for-18 for 73 yards and a touchdown in his debut as a starter.

Northside fumbled the ball away on its first possession of the second half and Brandon LeJeune recovered for Cecilia at the Northside 37-yard line. The Bulldogs drove to the 18 before settling for Landry’s 35-yard field goal that triggered the running clock by pushing the score to 43-0 at the 7:51 mark of the third quarter.

With limited clock stoppages, the Bulldogs had only one more possession in the game and saw the backups push the ball in on Chase Narcisse’s 23yard run with 8:15 remaining in the game.

Calais finished the night with 69 yards and two touchdowns on four rushes, three pass receptions for 28 yards and the long punt return.

“That’s what’s going to happen with Braylon,” the head coach said. “He’s got to get his touches.”

(Meagan

Cecilia travels to Teurlings Catholic on Thursday to take on the Rebels (0-1), who lost to rival St. Thomas More 35-0 this past week.

“We’ve just got to come out Sunday like we’re supposed to and have great preparation and get ready for Monday morning,” Cody Champagne said.

Briscoe said the Bulldogs need to lock in on the little things with a short week to prepare.

“We need to get better every week,” he said.