Trojans’ offense evolving beyond the run in recent weeks
October 15, 2019
Prep football questions, prep football answers
October 15, 2019
For the second-straight week, Vandebilt rode its defense to a win, despite offensive turnovers.
For the sixth-straight week, South Lafourche played gutsy defense, but couldn’t score, sending the coaching staff home wondering when — if ever — the team’s triple option offense is going to click.
The Terriers beat the Tarpons 18-3 on Friday night in an ugly game — a contest which featured forgettable play at times from both teams.
But in the end, it was the Terriers’ defense that was the difference — that combined with timely, ball control offense, which helped improve the team to 1-0 in district play and 3-3 on the season.
“I thought our defense was excellent,” Vandebilt coach Lance Ledet said. “The kids played about as well as I thought they could play. We put them in some bad situations at times, but they never broke and they really dug us out of some holes and kept us pushing forward.”
The first quarter of the game was wretched for both teams.
The Terriers turned over the ball multiple times in the first quarter, handing the ball to South Lafourche deep in Vandebilt territory multiple times.
But the Tarpons couldn’t even take advantage — in part because of anemic offense, but also because of the Terriers’ dominant defensive front which disrupted everything South Lafourche tried to do.
After the game, South Lafourche coach Blake Forsythe was left looking for answers.
Throughout the season, he said he thought the team would start to gel as the year matured.
So far, it hasn’t happened.
Through six games, the Tarpons have scored just 36 points all season. By comparison, cross-parish rivals Central Lafourche and Thibodaux have scored 36 or more points in 7 of their combined 12 games.
“Our defense is doing everything they can. They’re giving us chances,” Forsythe said. “Our offense just can’t stay on the field. And then, that breaks down our defense and the kids tire out.”
That process started in the second quarter when Vandebilt struck first on a lengthy touchdown drive capped by a touchdown run from quarterback Gavin Daigle. After a missed extra point, the Terriers led 6-0.
That lead grew to 8-0 before halftime when Tarpons’ punter Jesse Torres dropped a low snap, then kicked the ball out of the back of his own end zone for a safety to give the Terriers a couple of cushion points.
In the second half, another Vandebilt turnover gave South Lafourche a short field. Safety Jake Pitre intercepted a pass and made several men miss before being tripped up deep in Terriers’ territory.
But the Tarpons’ offense again stalled, settling for a 35-yard field goal from Torres to make the game 8-3.
The Terriers dominated the rest of the way.
After the Tarpons’ field goal, Vandebilt drove and iced the game late in the third quarter with another Daigle touchdown run to go up 15-3.
Late in the game, Vandebilt intercepted a pass to set the stage for a late-game field goal, which sent the game to its final margin.
Vandebilt is now 3-3 on the season, while South Lafourche is 0-6.
The Terriers are, most importantly, 1-0 in district play.
ELLENDER GETS DISTRICT OPENING WIN
The Ellender Patriots are also 1-0 in our local Class 4A district.
The Patriots got an early start to fall break on Thursday night, beating Morgan City 24-21 to improve to 2-4 on the season.
The Patriots led big early, storming out of the gates to take a 17-0 lead over Morgan City, thanks to opportunistic, turnover-forcing defense and quick strike offense.
But Morgan City rallied back with 21-unanswered points to take a 21-17 lead going to the fourth quarter.
Ellender lost Tyshaun Hester to an injury during the game, which flustered the Patriots. But they rallied back with a touchdown from Anthony Foret early in the fourth quarter to take a lead they’d never relinquish.
ASSUMPTION BRINGS DEFENSIVE ELECTRICITY AGAINST GATORS
All season long, Assumption’s defense has been electric.
On Friday night, they were the same — as electric as the lightning storm which forced the early completion of their win over South Terrebonne.
The Mustangs rolled 34-0 on Friday in a game that many pundits considered to be a matchup of the two best teams in our local Class 4A district.
The Mustangs are now 5-1, while the Gators are 4-2.
Assumption is now firmly in the driver’s seat of the local 4A district chase.
They have their defense to thank for that. Assumption led 7-0 after the first quarter, then 21-0 at halftime, completely stymying the Gators’ offense at every turn.
In the 2nd half, the Mustangs continued the onslaught with two, third-quarter touchdowns before a rain band from the weekend cold front caused lightning, which ended the game early in the fourth quarter.
CLASS 4A/DIVISION II SCOREBOARD
Vandebilt 18, South Lafourche 3
Assumption 34, South Terrebonne 0 **
Ellender 24, Morgan City 21
Donaldsonville 12, E.D. White 7
**denotes game was stopped early due to lightning storm in area
