Tom Dodge
It was an impressive start to the season as No. 9 Eunice exploded 42 points in the fourth quarter and cruised to a 73-34 win over the Northwest Raiders.
“We were down by nine points at one time,” Eunice head coach Paul Trosclair said. “We know four quarters is a long time and we just kept battling.”
Trailing 34-31 as the game moved to the fourth quarter, Eunice recovered two kickoffs, a high snap in the endzone as the Bobcats scored six touchdowns in the last 12 minutes of the game.
“You can’t expect to get those kinds of gifts all the time,” Trosclair said of the comeback win. “But it does show we will take advantage of the opportunities.
“Thet guys always believed we could win it,” the coach said. “If we could be in range in the fourth quarter, we feel like we had a chance.”
The No. 9 Bobcats entertain long-time rival Jennings in the home opener Friday at EHS.
The Bulldogs lost 48-41 to Leesville in the season opener.
“It looks like a normal Jennings team,” Trosclair said of the Bulldogs. “They have a really running game and the quarterback can throw it well.
“We will be tested on defense Friday because they do things on offense that present problems,” the coach said.
Trosclair said Jennings is also experienced on defense with eight starters back from last year’s team that finished 4-6.“Every time we play Jennings it is a battle,” the coach said of the series that began more than 50 years ago.
Eunice finished with 499 yards of total offesne against Northwest, including 369 yards rushing.
Eunice High’s Jeoul Hill gained 138 yards on 21 carries with twotouchdown runs.
Deon Ardoin added 79 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
Devin Richardson gained 67 yards on 12 carries and a score against the Raiders.
Bobcat quarterback Simeon Ardoin completed 7-of-13 passes for 130 yards including touchdown tosses to Treylon Cooper (37 yards) and Jahiem Mitchell (7 yards).
Last year, the Bobcats earned a 33-23 win over Jennings breaking a two-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.