Eunice Holds Off Raiders
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com
Northwest High had opportunities to score both early and late Friday night, but the Eunice High defense had other ideas.
Eunice survived an electrifying game-opening touchdown run from the Raiders’ Ke’Von Johnson and recovered a key fumble inside the Bobcats’ 10-yard line late in the fourth quarter, to win the season opener for both teams 16-14 in a game played at Paul Trosclair Stadium.
Viges said defensive tackle D’Andre Reed and linebackers Tyler Collins and Peyton Brown contributed to the defensive effort.
“I thought (Reed) showed up in their backfield a lot, while we have Tyler credited and (Brown) handled the containment,” Vige added.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we found a way,” said Eunice High head football coach Andre Vige.
Northwest finished the game with 270 total offense yards, while the Bobcats gained 186 all on the ground.
Before some of the spectators arrived for the start of the game, Johnson already had Northwest ahead, with a 58-yard run. Gavon Fontenot kicked the extra point to provide a 7-0 lead.
Johnson, a senior, finished with 107 rushing yards. Johnson scored another TD in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run.
“(Johnson) was the focal point of our defense throughout the game. He had that great run, but we got the defense together afterward and I thought we were able to fix that,” Vige said.
Eunice responded to grab the lead permanently with a 51-yard drive that ended with a two-yard Montana Brown touchdown run. Brown converted the extra point with a two-yard run.
That one-point lead was sustained until the first offensive series of the second half when Brown ended another Eunice drive with another short run followed by his two-point conversion.
The final Northwest touchdown drive began in the late third quarter after Raiders’ quarterback Justin Chavis completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Reginald Lavergne.
The Raiders moved in closer and Johnson scored on a 2-yard run with 9:24 remaining. Fontenot again provided the extra point to move Northwest closer.
Northwest continued controlling the game offensively in the fourth quarter.
The Raiders moved from their 27 to the Eunice 5-yard line, but the Bobcats recovered a fumble on a third down play with 5:56 left.
Eunice tried to escape the field position flip after the Northwest turnover, but the Bobcats escaped that problem after a fourth down Brown punt that landed deep in the Raiders’ territory.
Next week Eunice travels to meet Jennings in one of the longest continuous high school football series, while Northwest plays at Rayne.
