Buccaneers Roll Past Jasper, 35-7, in Season Opener

By Sharisa Nelson, Sports Reporter

The East Chambers Buccaneers opened the 2026 football season in impressive fashion Friday night, rolling past the Jasper Bulldogs, 35-7, behind a balanced offensive attack and a defense that consistently pressured Jasper throughout the game.

The Buccaneers finished the night with 349 total yards, including 251 rushing yards and 98 passing yards.

East Chambers wasted little time putting points on the board.

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Buccaneers put together a 74-yard scoring drive. The Bucs used their ground game to move the football before Senior #1 KJ Fontenot capped the drive with a touchdown run, giving East Chambers a 7-0 lead with 8:54 remaining in the first quarter.

Fontenot finished with 47 rushing yards on seven carries and two touchdowns, while Senior #0 Earius Ceasar led the Buccaneers on the ground with 111 yards on 12 carries. Junior #3 Hank Huff added 52 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.

The Buccaneers’ defense quickly answered by forcing Jasper into a fourth-down incompletion. East Chambers continued to apply pressure, recording multiple tackles for loss and keeping the Bulldogs’ offense in check.

East Chambers added to its lead early in the second quarter when Fontenot scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, pushing the Buccaneers’ advantage to 14-0 with 11:58 left in the first half.

Jasper answered with a touchdown at the 9:52 mark, cutting the deficit to 14-7.

The Bulldogs’ score, however, would prove to be their only points of the night.

East Chambers continued to threaten before halftime, including a 40-yard field-goal attempt by Junior #8 Adan Garcia that fell short. Garcia later finished the game 5-for-5 on extra-point attempts.

The Buccaneers carried their 14-7 advantage into halftime.

East Chambers opened the second half with a promising drive, but Jasper recovered a Fontenot fumble at the Bucs’ 35-yard line. The East Chambers defense responded by stopping the Bulldogs’ possession and forcing a punt.

The Bucs then delivered the game’s biggest offensive play.

With 4:32 remaining in the third quarter, Senior QB #13 Brycen Wells connected with Ceasar on a scoring pass, with Ceasar turning the play into a 51-yard touchdown reception. Wells completed 6 of 11 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, while Ceasar finished with two receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. Senor #4 Zay Green added four receptions for 41 yards, and Senior #10 Darius Edmonson caught one pass for six yards.

Garcia’s extra point was good, extending the East Chambers lead to 21-7.

The Buccaneers added another touchdown late in the third quarter. Edmonson scored on a one-yard run with 1:14 remaining in the quarter, giving East Chambers a 28-7 advantage. Edmonson finished with one rushing attempt for one yard and a touchdown.

East Chambers’ defense continued to dominate in the fourth quarter, forcing another Jasper punt. The Bucs then put together another scoring drive, relying on their running game to move steadily down the field before adding the final touchdown of the night.

The score pushed the Buccaneers’ lead to 35-7 with 6:50 remaining in the game.

Defensively, East Chambers recorded 59 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and two sacks, along with two pass breakups and two quarterback pressures. The Bucs also recorded a defensive interception.

The Bulldogs were unable to mount a late comeback, and East Chambers closed out the season opener with a convincing 35-7 victory.

Following the game, East Chambers Head Coach Sutherland told The Seabreeze Beacon, “Our players played extremely hard against a talented Jasper team and had a very good showing in Game 1 of the season.”

The Buccaneers’ 349-yard offensive performance, balanced rushing attack and strong defensive effort set the tone for a promising start to the 2026 season.

East Chambers Offensive Leaders:

• #0 Earius Ceasar: 12 carries, 111 yards; 2 receptions, 51 yards, TD
• #3Hank Huff: 8 carries, 52 yards, TD
• #1 KJ Fontenot: 7 carries, 47 yards, 2 TDs
• #13 Brycen Wells: 6-of-11 passing, 98 yards, TD
• #4 Zay Green: 4 receptions, 41 yards
• #10 Darius Edmonson: 1 carry, 1 yard, TD

The East Chambers Buccaneers will travel to Sour Lake on Friday, September 4, to take on the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.