OHS Ends Playoff Run
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Plaquemine High forcefully unwrapped a postseason surprise Friday night, one that produced unexpected results for an Opelousas High football team whose 2024 season ended abruptly in a Division II non-select game at Andrew Canova Green Devil Stadium.
It wasn’t difficult to determine the overall problem for his team, said Opelousas High head football coach Jimmy Zachery, Jr.
“We got dominated. Plaquemine came out more physical and we didn’t play up to that. They came out and did what their coach wanted,” said Zachery, Jr.
The Tigers led briefly in the first quarter, but after that Plaquemine unleashed running back Tyrese Mosby, who cut through the Opelousas defense for 265 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Opelousas ended 8-4. The defeat by Plaquemine (11-1) ended a string of seven straight postseason wins by Opelousas.
Plaquemine hosts No. 18 Cecilia this Friday night in a semifinal. If Opelousas had defeated Plaquemine, the Tigers would have hosted Cecilia in a playoff semifinal at Donald Gardner Stadium.
Normally, Zachery said, the Tigers have previously won games by physically overwhelming the opponent.
It wasn’t the situation that unfolded at Plaquemine, Zachery said.
“I thought Plaquemine showed they wanted it more than we did. (Plaquemine) executed. We didn’t. What bothers me is not so much that we lost, but it’s how we lost,” Zachery added.
Mosby was a perplexing, 180-pound package for the Tigers’ defense.
In addition to his rushing totals, Mosby also broke tackles for extra yardage, which often extricated the Devils from positions deep in their own territory.
Opelousas trailed nearly the whole game. The Tigers cut a two-score advantage to six points twice during the third quarter , but chunk Plaquemine plays eliminated any chance at moving any closer.
Kicking Significance
Kicking game problems, a season-long issue for Opelousas, also played a part in the loss.
The Plaquemine kicking game however, provided the Tigers with the first points of the game, as Opelousas blocked a Green Devil punt attempt.
A recovery of the botched punt enabled the Tigers to score an easy touchdown on a nine-yard Zack Malveaux rushing attempt. Malveaux provided the two point conversion for the 8-0 lead with 9:30 left.
Then later during the quarter it was the Tigers’ turn to experience a kicking-game mistake.
Plaquemine used a nine-yard Opelousas High punt to set up the Devils’ first TD from the Opelousas 35.
Mosby scored on a two-yard run after breaking a 32-yard gain.
Afterward Opelousas turned the ball over on a failed fourth-down quick kick and Plaquemine capitalized as Mosby scored from 10-yards out (14-8).
In the second period Plaquemine extended the lead to 21-8 as Mosby ended a 55-yard drive on a two-yard run. The score was set on a 60-yard throw from quarterback Nico Victorian to John Walker.
Second Half
Opelousas cut the advantage to 21-16, on a elongated, 14-play, 65-yard drive that consumed nearly four minutes off the game clock.
It was a classic OHS ground-game performance by Malveaux and running back De’Shaun Ford, who divided all the rushing opportunities. Malveaux ended things when he ran for a one-yard touchdown and the two-point conversion.
Whatever momentum the Tigers gained wasn’t sustained.
Mosby ended a quick Plaquemine TD drive that made it 28-16.
Opelousas answered that TD with a 3-yard Ford rushing TD and two-point conversion. The key play was a 45-yard completion from Malveaux to Opelousas wide receiver Korey Fontenot.
Trailing 28-22, Victorian scored the only touchdown of the fourth period on an eight-yard run.
