By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Friday night’s Class 2A semifinal game between St. James and Calvary Baptist features a classic contrast in styles.

St. James (11-2) wants to run, run, run you to death via its Wing-T offense and deep stable of running backs including Luther Ambrose, Gary Davis, Kenny Zenon, and now DeMell Dumas.

Calvary Baptist (12-0), on the other hand, asks quarterback Jake Booty to pass, pass, and pass some more.

The different means have achieved a similar result for each team – has been plenty wins and plenty of points. Calvary Baptist averages 40 points per game. St. James averages 36. While Calvary Baptist might be more equipped to come from behind if need be, St. James may be more battle tested with games against John Curtis and Destrehan on its resume this season.

Ambrose is coming off perhaps his strongest game of the year, a 200-yard rushing performance including touchdown runs of 70 and 52 yards. Davis has been limited due to injury, but if he is healthy enough, he will be a major factor. Zenon carried the load largely through the first two weeks, and Dumas has been rock solid in a change of pace role since moving over from defensive back.

But the team may need Dumas back in that roll as, again, Calvary Baptist is not shy about putting it in the air.

“They’ll do anything offensively,” said St. James Coach Rick Gaille. “They’re known to throw, and they use that to set up their running game.”

The one common opponent the teams have is Homer, and the result was similar in both cases. St. James downed Homer 30-0 in the regional round, while Calvary defeated them 61-35 in a regular season clash.

Calvary Baptist defeated Clinton 24-21 to advance to the semifinals, while St. James downed Donaldsonville 40-21.