Tom Dodge
Eunice High’s Shanyia Toussaint poured in 31 points in her final home game to help the Lady Bobcats grab a 59-54 win over Rayne on Senior Night.
The Lady Cats opened with an 11-7 first quarter run, aided by five points from Toussaint to go with three points each from Harmony Jason and Madison Freeman.
The Lady Wolves stormed back with an 8-0 surge to start the second period as Rayne grabbed an 17-11 advantage.
Toussaint and Leah Walker both hit treys for the Lady Cats and Toussaint later added three free throws to push EHS ahead, 23-22.
The senior guard scored a lay up off a steal and Olivia Thibodeaux pushed in a bucket in the lane as Eunice moved ahead, 27-22 in the final minute of the half.
Freeman scored on a lay-up as the Lady Cats added to its margin, but Leah Trahan nailed a trey with six seconds left as Rayne closed the gap to 29-26 at intermission.
Eunice out scored Rayne 11-5 in the third period, sparked by six points from Toussaint and four points from Walker.
The Lady Cats took a 40-31 lead into the fourth quarter, but Rayne continued to battle to keep the game close.
Two lay-ups by Walker and a drive in the lane from Toussaint pushed Eunice ahead, 47-40 midway through the period.
Rayne closed the gap to three points three times before Toussaint and Freeman scored off turnovers to extend the Lady Cats’ advantage to 56-47.
Rayne’s Braille Washington drained a trey with 10 seconds left, but Toussaint closed the game with a free throw to seal the 59-54 victory.
Washington finished with 33 points for the Lady Wolves.
Walker finished with 11 points, while Freeman chipped in eight points.
Eunice (3-14, 1-5) closes the season at Washington Marion on Tuesday.
Rayne 79, EHS 69
It was battle to the end as the Rayne Wolves earned a 79-69 win over the Eunice Bobcats.
The Wolves stormed out to a 9-0 lead before the Bobcats responded to get back into the contest.
Dedric Vigers drove the lane, Joseph Anderson scored on a put back and Terrace Shilow added five points to tie the game, 9-9.
Clarence Arceneaux scored in the lane, but Rayne’s Tayshaun Colomb drove from the baseline to force another tie, 11-11.
Vigers drilled a trey at the buzzer to push the Cats ahead 14-11.
The two teams clashed in the second period as Rayne took a 19-16 lead before a put-back from Arceneaux and a trey by Clement Joseph gave the Cats a 21-19 advantage.
Four points from Joseph and a free throw by Shilow increased the Cats’ lead to 26-21.
After a Rayne bucket, Eunice responded with a three pointer by Vigers, two free throws from Fred Guillory and an inbounds bucket by Arceneaux.
Rayne’s Don Charles hit a jumper with 15 seconds left, but Rondrelyn Mitchell scored on a put-back at the buzzer to give Eunice a 35-25 lead at the break.
The Wolves’ comeback began with a strong run in the third period, sparked by 12 points from Leon Smith.
Aided by six points from Shilow, four points by Vigers and four free throws from Shaun Hudson, the Bobcats pushed ahead 55-41.
But Rayne closed the quarter with an 8-1 run to take a 53-52 lead into the final period.
The two teams stayed at the free throw line early in the fourth quarter as the game remained close until the Wolves went on an 10-2 run to push ahead, 64-57.
Anderson scored in the lane and Vigers added four points as Eunice closed the gap to 72-63 with 1:06 left.
Colomb hit a trey as part of an 8-3 run for the Wolves to put the game away.
Gavin Oliver hit a trey at the buzzer for the Cats to close the final gap to 79-69.
Vigers finished with 20 points for the Bobcats, while Shilow chipped in 15 points.
Smith led Rayne (19-11, 4-1) with 16 points, while Colomb added 14 points.
Eunice (2-18, 0-6) travels to Washington – Marion on Tuesday.