Photograph: Northwest High quarterback Devin Zachary. (Photograph by Freddie Herpin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The Northwest High bench contained almost as many starting players as there were on the field against Iota Friday night.
Some of the Raiders’ players left the game and didn’t return, while others sat out the remainder of the 38-6 loss to Iota.
“We had a lot of people out to start the game and there were others who got hurt that didn’t finish,” said Northwest head football coach Chris Edwards.
The Raiders scored the game’s first touchdown on an 87-yard Donovan Thomas run. However that was the highlight experience for Thomas and the remainder of the Northwest offense.
Thomas, who is experiencing hip problems, rushed eight times for 110 yards, but he didn’t finish the second half because of the injury.
The loss of Thomas and running back Javian Reese, who hasn’t played in two games, has crippled the Northwest offense that is also limited due to injuries of three offensive line starters, and a tight end, Edwards added.
“We also have a couple of linebackers out and a defensive tackle,” said Edwards, whose team is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in district games.
Northwest running backs Ethan Aucoin (7 carries, 50 yards) and Devon Andrus (6-30) became the main ball carriers for quarterback Devin Zachary, who completed six of 18 passes.
It turned into a ground game contest, as the Raiders ran for 206 and Iota compiled 296 rushing yards.
Northwest was also penalized eight times for 85 yards.
Iota took a 7-6 first quarter lead on a Clay Doucet touchdown, followed by a 24-point second quarter that allowed the Bulldogs to put the game out of reach.
Eli Ardoin kicked a 26-yard field goal and his three points were followed by long touchdown runs by Braydon Lavergne (74 yards and 60 yards).
A fourth quarter two-yard run by Connor Fruge ended the scoring.
Northwest travels to play undefeated Church Point this Friday night.
“It won’t get any easier, but we are hoping to have some of our guys back for Church Point. We have four district games remaining and right now it’s win as many of those games as we can and then possibly sneak into the playoffs on the back end,” said Edwards.
