Erath wins Bobcat battle

In the battle of the Bobcats, it was Erath that ultimately prevailed behind star running back Elijah Mitchell. Mitchell scored six touchdowns to lead his team to a 49-20 victory.
After receiving the opening kickoff, the Eunice High Bobcats found themselves in an early hole after a holding penalty and a lost fumble. The Erath Bobcats wasted no time in taking advantage of the early miscues, moving quickly in four plays for a touchdown on a 4-yard run by Mitchell. The PAT kick by Dylan Floris gave Erath a 7-0 lead.
The Eunice Bobcats tried to put an answering drive together following the kickoff. But after making a first down, Eunice was forced to punt.
Erath took possession at their own 38 and gave the football to Mitchell on three consecutive carries. He got 18 yards, then was held to two. But Mitchell would find running room on his next carry, breaking into the open on his way to a 42-yard touchdown run. Floris kicked the PAT to give Erath a 14-0 lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter.
Eunice struggled to move the ball on its next possession, gaining one net yard on three plays. Erath got the ball on its own 29 and proceeded to march down the field on a 71-yard drive. Mitchell capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run and Floris booted the PAT for a 21-0 lead with 9:49 left in the first half.
Eunice got a 14-yard return by Georrein Dupre on the kickoff, getting the ball at their own 32, but lost nine yards on two carries, setting up a 38-yard pass play from quarterback Jaden Brasseaux to receiver Dashswn Vigers. Later in the drive, Brasseaux teamed with Jordan Ledet on a 15-yard play for a first down at the 16-yard line.
Trevin Ceasar ran for seven yards and Avery Lee ran for eight before Brasseaux pushed his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown. Austin Phillips kicked the PAT, cutting the Erath lead to 21-7 with 5:16 left in the half.
The Bobcat defense quickly forced a punt from Erath and Eunice would drive 65 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Key plays included a 14-yard pass play from Brasseaux to Ceasar and an 18-yard run by Lee. Lee would score the touchdown on a six-yard run and Phillips nailed the PAT to cut the Erath lead to 21-14 with 48 seconds left before halftime.
Unfortunately, that more than time for Mitchell to break away on a 38-yard touchdown run. Mitchell started right, then reversed back to the left, breaking a couple of tackles before he found daylight all the way to the end zone. Floris kicked the PAT to give Erath a 28-14 halftime lead.
Erath received the second half kickoff, but the Eunice defense forced three-and-out punt. Eunice took possession at their own 7-yard and were forced to punt from their 13. The punt was fumbled and Eunice’s Jonas Granger recovered at the Eunice 34. Eunice picked a first down on a Brasseaux run, but were forced to punt.
Erath took possession at their own 23 and used its ground attack to move to the Eunice 2-yard line. Quarterback Mason Granger ran for 29 yards and Mitchell ran for 20 to set up the touchdown. Mitchell scored on a two-yard run and Floris added the PAT to put Erath on top by a 35-14 margin heading into the fourth quarter.
Erath added to its lead at the 9:06 mark of the quarter with a three-yard touchdown run by Caleb Jagneaux. Mitchell added a touchdown a couple of minutes later when he broke away on a 60-yard run. Floris kicked the PAT for a 49-14 lead.
Eunice responded with a 49-yard scoring drive. Dupre had a 30-yard run to set up a one-yard touchdown by Lee. A run for two points failed and Erath held a 49-20 lead with 6:52 left in the game and that is how the game ended.
Mitchell carried 29 times for 296 yards to lead Erath. Avery Lee had 18 carries for 117 yards to lead Eunice. Brasseaux completed eight of 17 pass attempts, with Vigers catching three for 51 and Ledet catching 3 for 26 yards.
Erath will host top seeded West Feliciana in the regional round of the 3A playoffs.