South-side players posting big numbers

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 29, 2009

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What are the odds that three players from south Baton Rouge schools would be ranked among the area’s football statistical leaders?

Pretty good, thanks to Demarcaze Givens of Woodlawn, Jeremy Meyers of St. Michael and Jared Rogers of Episcopal.

“The rushing yards are nice and so are the touchdowns,” Givens said. “I’d give them back if we could be undefeated.

“For me, it’s all about winning. That’s why these next two games are so important. We need to win out to get to the playoffs.”

At 5-foot-10, 167 pounds, Givens is not the largest player of the group who play for schools located within a 12-mile driving distance of each other.

To date, the Woodlawn senior has rushed for 970 yards and leads all players in East Baton Rouge Parish with 20 touchdowns and 120 points.

Rogers (5-8, 165) is the only junior in the group. Last week, he became the second player in the city to crack the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Another back from District 7-2A, Capitol High Academy’s Frankie Jackson (1,173 yards, 17 TDs) did it first.

Totals of 113 carries for 1,028 yards and 11 TDs are good for Rogers but he has bigger goals.

“I put in a lot of hard work over the summer and I’m pleased with what I’ve done,” Rogers said. “We want to go to the playoffs. Right now our power-rating is pretty good. We need to focus these last two weeks.”

Focus on the final two weeks is a recurring theme for the trio whose schools are 5-3 records and bidding for playoff spots.

In District 7-2A, Episcopal hosts seventh-ranked Donaldsonville and its highly touted running back Bryant Dunn (1,202 yards and 16 TDs).

St. Michael and Woodlawn are tied with Glen Oaks atop the District 7-4A standings. Istrouma and Tara sit just one game back. Woodlawn plays Tara at Olympia Stadium on Friday. St. Michael travels to Broadmoor with a Week 10 showdown with GOHS looming.

At 6-2, 210 pounds, Meyers, the lone quarterback, is the largest player in the group. He leads all passers in the Metro area with 2,010 yards and 22 TDs. Like the other south Baton Rouge leaders, Meyers is looking only at Week 9.