Photograph: A Northwest receiver is tackled by a Crowley defender. (Photograph by Crowley Post Signal photographer Zander Quebedeaux.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Fumbles, muffed punts and mishandled kickoff returns became a bundle of trouble for the Northwest High football team Friday night.
The generous Raiders lost several fumbles and problems with possessing Crowley High punts and kickoffs became the main culprits as Northwest dropped a 21-20 non-district contest played a Prairie Ronde.
Despite the problems with handling the football, Northwest (1-1) led 20-15 with two minutes and 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter following a five-yard Javian Reese run.
The Reese touchdown which complemented his 85-yard kickoff return with 1:31 left in the first quarter, gave the Raiders a cushion that lasted until 4:15 in the fourth period when Butler broke several tackles and moved into the end zone with what proved to be the game-winning score.
Reese ran 11 times for 102 yards, while teammate Donovan Thomas had 11 carries for 110.
Butler ran for 148 yards on 20 attempts and completed six passes for another 82 yards.
Thomas preceded Reese with a third quarter touchdown that cut a Crowley lead to 15-12 with 8:11 left in the period.
Northwest High head football coach pointed to the obvious issue.
“We wrapped one up and gave it away like it was Christmas. What happened was due mainly to lack of concentration. There were just a lot of mental errors and all of that is fixable,” Edwards said.
Edwards said the main problem with the fumbles and other possession issues came deep on the Northwest side of the field.
“A couple of them were inside our own 20 and another was around the 30. Otherwise I thought our defense played great. McKenzie Ardoin had a bunch of tackles and had one of the best individual games since I have been here,” Edwards said.
Northwest ended the third quarter leading 6-3. The Reese kickoff return followed a 31-yard Crowley field goal by Samuel Hernandez.
Crowley used a muffed return in the second period to score on a four-yard Michael Thomas run that enabled the Gents to lead 9-6 by the intermission.
Northwest failed to recover a fumble at the Raiders’ 34-yard line in the third period and the turnover proved costly.
Butler passed to Nate Harmon for a 32-yard score as the Gents moved out in front 15-6.
What’s next? Northwest hosts Beau Chene.
