John Burson
IOTA – The battle for second place in District 5-3A resulted in an offensive explosion between the Iota High Bulldogs and the Eunice High Bobcats here Friday.
The teams battled back and forth in a game that produced a combined total of 730 yards of offense, with the two teams having to determine a winner by way of an overtime period.
The action began on the first play from scrimmage when Bobcat quarterback Jayden Brasseaux found receiver Jordan Ledet open down the field for 71-yard touchdown.
The PAT failed, but the Cats had a 6-0 lead.
After receiving the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs drove down the field on a long drive before having to punt on a fourth-and-13 at the Eunice 35.
The Bobcats took over the ball at their own 11 and proceded to move down the field into Bulldog territory.
A 32-yard run by Avery Lee put the Cats into Bulldog territory. Lee eventually scored on a 2-yard run and Austin Phillips kicked the PAT to give the Cats a 13-0 lead.
Neither team moved the ball effectively early in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs’ Kaleb Guillory took over the offense with just over five minutes left in the first half.
The hardrunning Guillory had runs of 17, 9, 11 yards and completed the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to cut the Bobcat lead to 13-6.
The Bulldogs started the second half with a long march that reached the 22-yard line of the Bobcats.
Quarterback Trae Rambin scored on a 22-yard run and Luis Doretero kicked the PAT to tie the game at 13-13 with 9:15 left in the quarter.
The Cats stalled on their next possession, failing on a fourth-and-seven. Iota took advantage with an impressive drive of their own to the Eunice one-yard line.
Guillory scored the touchdown to put the Dogs up 19-13.
The Cats struck back quickly on a Brasseaux to Ledet touchdown pass covering 35 yards.
Phillips kicked the PAT to put the Cats ahead 20-19.
Guillory got the Bulldogs going with a 71-yard kickoff return to the Eunice 10-yard line and Iota took advantage as Guillory scored on a 9-yard run and Rambin ran for the two-point conversion for a 27-20 lead.
The Bobcats responded with a touchdown drive of their own. Trevin Ceaser had two 18-yard runs on the drive and Lee added 16 yards on three carries before Brasseaux teamed with Tyler Darbonne on a 20-yard touchdown with 3:01 left on the clock. Phillips kicked the PAT to tie the score at 27-27.
The Bobcat defense forced a punt and the Cats took possesion at the Iota 45-yard line with 1:18 left in regulation. The Cats moved to the Iota 35, but were unable to score as time ran out.
In overtime, the Dogs had first possession, with Guillory carrying the ball for nine yards on two carries. Guillory powered his way into the end zone on his next carry and Doreteo kicked the PAT to take a 33-27 lead.
The Cats got six yards on their first possession on a run by Lee, but the Bulldogs would stop Ceaser just short of the goal line to claim the victory.