Tom Dodge
The Bobcats opened the 2017 season at 1-4 and finished with a 5-6 overall record after an opening round playoff loss to Berwick.
Heading into this season, Eunice head coach Paul Trosclair was concerned about facing a daunting schedule with a young team, but as the season progressed, Eunice’s only losses came to district rivals Church Point and Iota.
After playoff wins over Brusly (34-20), Wossman (13-12), Madison Prep (41-12) and Kaplan (19-0), the No. 2 Bobcats advanced to the Class 3-A championship game to face No. 4 Sterlington – who beat both Church Point and Iota to advance.
“I thought we’d have trouble stopping them, but I didn’t think they would score that many points,” Trosclair said in the post game press conference. “In the first half, everything went wrong. I’d say we have a quiet halftime. We didn’t do a whole lot of screaming.
“In the second half, I felt we’d make some plays and adjustments in the secondary. If it wouldn’t be for that big pass play at the end of the game, we shut them down pretty good in the second half.”
Sterlington’s C.J. Calvin returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score, and Eunice’s Jordan Ledet returned the favor with an 89-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff.
That set the tone for a thriller in the Superdome as the Bobcats won 59-47 to capture the first state title since 1982.
The Bobcats trailed 34-26 at halftime in large part because they managed just over six and a half minutes of possession in the first half.
The difference was 27 consecutive second-half points by the Bobcats
Running back Avrey Lee connected with Tyler Darbonne for touchdowns passes of 13 and 15 yards as the Bobcats took its first lead at 39-34 midway through the third quarter.
“I’m very thankful for the win, especially for this family (team),” Lee said. “It doesn’t matter how much we get tired. I’m going to keep pushing until I get the win with these friends.”
The lead grew to 46-34 near the end of the third when Lee scampered 28 yards, fumbled the ball into the end zone and it was recovered by Deon Ardoin for a touchdown.
Darbonne’s third touchdown, a 17-yard pass from Simeon made it 53-34.
Ardoin led the Bobcats rushing attack, compiling 151 yards on 10 carries and three scores as well as a touchdown toss.
“It feels good,” Simeon Ardoin said of the win.. “Amazing. God helped me through all of this to get this championship with the team.”
Lee ran for 87 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown to go with his two touchdown passes to Darbonne.
Darbonne finished with three receptions for 45 yards and three touchdowns.
“It’s unreal,” Darbonne said. “All the credit goes to our offensive line. They put up great blocks to give our quarterback and Avrey time to throw me the ball.”
The teams combined for a state championship record 102 rushing plays in the game and Sterlington outgained Eunice 456 to 434 yards in the game.
“These seniors and our quarterback carried us all year long,” Trosclair said.
“I didn’t think I would get this opportunity again. We played John Curtis in 1997 and 1998 and we had some close losses in the playoffs over the years.
“I knew my career was winding down but when we started this season we had six and seven sophomores playing and there was no way we did what we did.”