Tom Dodge
For those who like math equations, the Bobcats statistically still have a chance to share the District 4-4A title heading into the regular season home finale against LaGrange.
With a win over the Gators (4-4, 2-1) combined with a Rayne (5-4, 2-1) loss at Washington-Marion and No. 9 Eunice (7-2, 2-1) would win the district championship.
Eunice stayed in the district hunt with a 57-19 win last week over North Vermilion.
“We executed really well on offense,” Eunice head coach Paul Trosclair said. “I thought we could have done a better job on defense, but we did force turnovers so that helped.”
The Gators began the season with losses to three 5-A teams: Barbe (44-13), Sam Houston (50-14) and Sulphur (27-25).
LaGrange then earned a 32-21 win over Lake Charles College Prep, but the following game against Opelousas High was cancelled because of the weather.
The win snapped a 15-game losing streak that dated to Oct. 20, 2017, when the Gators beat Lafayette High.
The Gators opened district competition with a win over North Vermilion (32-14) and then edged Welsh (8-7) in a non-district contest.
LaGrange fell 21-14 to district leader Rayne, but rebounded last week with a 28-6 win over Washington-Marion.
“They are very athletic,” Trosclair said of the Gator offense. “They have the fastest quarterback (Quintorious Jones) we have faced all season and we have seen some pretty good ones.
“With a spread attack on offense they make you cover everything,” the coach said.
“We will need to continue to control the game with our running attack,” Trosclair said. “It won’t be easy because they are athletic up front, but our offensive line has been very good lately.”
Eunice is No. 11 in the LHSAA Class 4-A power rankings.
“It looks like we get a home game in the first round,” Trosclair said.
“I think there is no question we can compete against the teams we will face,” the coach said of the 4-A playoffs. “But there is no room for error against the athletes we face.”
Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Class 4-A top ten power rankings are Lakeshore, Neville, Edna Karr, Tioga, Assumption, Westgate, Bastrop, Carencro, Breaux Bridge and Pearl River.