West St. John wasted little time in seizing a 24-0 lead after the opening quarter then added three more scores to defeat Bogalusa, 45-6, Friday night at Lewis V. Murray Jr. Stadium.

“Being on the road we wanted to come out and start quick by dictating the tempo and forcing them out of their comfort zone,” said West St. John coach Robert Valdez, whose Rams are ranked third in state in Class 1A.

The Jacks (0-2) struggled to get points on the board. They committed three turnovers, two interceptions and a fumble.

“They got on us from go. I guess we weren’t ready to play tonight, and that is my fault,” said Bogalusa coach Craig Jones.

BHS, which graduated 20 seniors last year’s district championship squad, is young this season with a team

sprinkled with freshmen and sophomores.

West St. John (2-0) attempted an onside kick to start the contest, which Bogalusa recovered at midfield. From that point the Lumberjacks moved into Rams territory, but sophomore quarterback Reggie Roberts got picked off by Koi Rainey, who grabbed a tipped pass.

Four plays later the Rams scored their first touchdown as quarterback Austin Howard hit receiver Keith Miller with a 28-yard strike. Howard ran for the 2-point conversion, giving the Rams an 8-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

With three minutes left in the first quarter running back Jeremy Jackson scooted 13 yards for a score, and Howard hooked up with Kylon Adams on the 2-point conversion to bring the score to 16-0. Jackson’s score capped off an eight-play 61-yard drive for the Rams.

Twenty seconds later the Rams’ Brandon Matthews brought down Roberts in the end zone for a safety to make it 18-0, then just 45 seconds later Howard scored on a 27-yard jaunt to close out the scoring in the first quarter with the Rams ahead, 24-0.

Roberts scored the Lumberjacks’ lone touchdown at the 8-minute mark in the second on a 48-yard run.

Then just before the half ended Howard connected with Jackson on a 60-yard catch and run to up the Rams lead to 32-6.

In the second half Howard threw his third touchdown pass, hitting Morrell Bartholomew on a 30-yard toss (Jimmy Conner booted the extra point), and Jackson closed out the scoring with a 2-yard run at the midway point of the final quarter to bring the final tally to 45-6.

Jackson finished the game with 147 yards on 19 carries and 60 yards receiving.

Bogalusa’s young quarterback Roberts left the game in the third quarter with a bruised leg, re-aggravating an injury he already had.

Prior to the game Don Short, Calvin Hymel and Bill Murray, three members of Bogalusa’s 1969 state championship team, served as honorary captains.

Bogalusa is back in action Friday, facing Pine (2-0).