The Eunice High Bobcats overcame the Madison Prep Chargers as well as a thick fog that appered over Bobcat Stadium for much of the game on their way to a 41-12 victory, earning a semifinal spot in the Class 3A football playoffs.
The No. 2 Bobcats will battle No. 3 Kaplan at home Friday night as the Pirates earned a 22-12 win over No. 6 Lake Charles College Prep to advance.
The Bobcats used an interception by Javondre Edwards to take control in the early going of the contest.
The Bobcat offense turned the turnover into a 12-play scoring drive which resulted in a six-yard touchdown run by Jeoul Hill with 6:43 left in the opening quarter.
Key plays in the drive came from a Simeon Ardoin pass to Avery Lee for a 9-yard gain.
Runs by Deon Ardoin and Lee helped the Cats move to the 6-yard line, from where Hill would score.
The PAT attempt failed but the Cats held a 6-0 lead.
The Bobcat defensive unit forced a punt by the Chargers and the Cats took possession at their own 49-yard line.
It took just four plays by the Cats to add to their lead, with Avery Lee breaking away on a 39-yard run to the one-yard line of the Chargers. Lee rammed into the end zone with 3:28 left in the quarter. Austin Phillips hit the PAT try to give the Cats a 13-0 lead.
The Chargers intercepted a pass in the early stages of the second quarter and moved down the field behind the passing of Gicloe Wright. Wright connected with Major Burns for a touchdown with 7:43 left, but the kick failed, allowing the Bobcats to maintain their lead.
The Eunice defense forced a fumble to regain possession late in the quarter and turned the miscue into a 7-play drive that ended with Tyler Darbonne scoring on a 24-yard pass from Avery Lee. Phillips tacked on the PAT kick to give the Cats a 20-6 lead. The Chargers were unable to respond as time ran out at the half.
The Cats opened the second half with a pass from Ardoin to Lee for eight yards to set up a one-yard touchdown by Simeon Ardoin. The PAT kick by Phillips gave the Cats a 27-6 lead with 7:19 left in the quarter. The Cats would add another touchdown with 5:08 left in the quarter on a 16-yard run by Lee. Phillips added the PAT for a 34-6 lead.
The Chargers bounced back quickly with Wright teaming with Burns on a 17-yard touchdown at the 4:14 mark. But the attempt at a two-point conversion failed,making it a 34-12 game.
The Bobcats opened the fourth quarter with another scoring threat thanks to a 44-yard scoing run by Hill to claim the 41-12 win.
Iota 21, North Webster 14
IOTA – With the score tied 14-14, Iota running back Luke Doucet scored on a six-yard run with 3:53 left in the game as the top-ranked Bulldogs grabbed a 21-14 win over North Webster in the Class 3-A quarterfinals.
Iota advances to the semifinals for the first time since 2002 when the Bulldogs finished as Class 2-A state runners-up.
The Bulldogs (13-0) will host No 4 Sterlington as the Panthers earned a 13-12 win over No. 4 Union Parish.
Lorenzo Johnson scored on a three-yard run to give the Knights a 6-0 lead with 7:09 left in the first quarter.
Iota responded as Trae Rambin scored on a 19-yard run. The PAT was good as the Bulldogs led 7-6 with 1:21 remaining in the opening quarter.
Doucet rumbled in from 37 yards out and the PATincreased Iota’s lead to 14-6 with 9:56 left in the second period.
North Webster’s Johnson scored on a three-yard run and the two-point conversion forced a 14-14 tie with 19 seconds left in the third period.
Doucet was the main threat for the Bulldogs as he gained 151 yards on 24 carries and scored twice in the win.
Rambin completed 6-of-12 passes for 53 yards and gained 34 yards on six carries.
North Webster quarterback Tyrell Markay completed 14-of-27 passes for 192 yards, including nine receptions for 86 yards by Bernell Lewis.
Johnson led the Knights ground attack with 80 yards on 16 carries and two scores.