Two late touchdowns lift Bobcats past Raiders

PRAIRIE RONDE –It wasn’t easy but the Eunice High Bobcats gave head coach Paul Trosclair his 200th career victory here Friday night.
The Bobcats battled from a 21-14 fourth -quarter deficit to earn the win over the Northwest High Raiders.
“This was a struggle,” Trosclair said after the win. “We kept turning the ball over with bad snaps, fumbles and an interception.
“We had a chance to put the game away and we just didn’t do it but the interception on the screen by (Keithan) Green was the back breaker.
“We fought for four quarters and got the win,” the coach said.
The Cats took the lead with 10:09 left in the game on a five-yard run by fullback Ty Ceasar and a two-point conversion run by Ceasar for a precarious 22-21 lead.
The Raiders didn’t quit, as they drove from their own 25 to the Bobcat 28 in eight plays following the kickoff.
But on a fourth-and eight, quarterback Kaleb Fontenot had his screen pass attempt intercepted by Keithan Green. Green took it down the right sideline 68 yards for the touchdown. The PAT run failed, but the Cats held a 28-21 lead with 5:57 left in the game.
.The Cats held the Raiders to minus yards on their ensuing possession, forcing a punt.
The Cats took over in Raiders’s territory, but lost the football on a fumble on first down.
The Raiders recovered at their own 32, then proceeded to move down the field.
The Raiders completed three passes for 47 yards as they drove to the Eunice 27 with 2:01 left on the clock.
Two runs produced just two yards before a quarterback sack shared by the Cats’ Damien Comeaux and A.P Sonnier dropped the Raiders back to the 32 with just 24 seconds left.
A pass interference call against the Cats gave Northwest the football at the 16-yard line with two seconds left on the clock.
Fontenot attempted a pass to Kendall Richard at the goal line, but Bobcat defensive back Triston Fyre batted the ball away to end the game.
The Raiders took a 7-0 lead with 6:21 left in the opening quarter as Chris Lee, who finished the evening with 169 rushing yards on 20 carries, scored on a two-yard run. The PAT kick by Alleman was good.
The Cats responded with a 46-yard, five-play drive capped by Ceasar’s five-yard run. A poor center snap negated the PAT as the Raiders held a 7-6 lead.
The Cats took the lead with 1:26 left in the first quarter as Ceasar scored on a one-yard run. Ceasar ran for the two points to give the Cats a 14-7 lead.
The Raiders used an interception to set up their next touchdown. Lee scored on a three-yard run with 7:24 left in the first half. Alleman kicked the PAT to tie the game at 14-14.
On their next possession, the Raiders drove to the Eunice 20, but were unable to get points as time expired.
The Raiders took the lead at the 3:42 mark of the third quarter on a 58-yard touchdown run by Lee. Alleman’s PAT was true for a 21-14 lead.
Ceasar led the Cats offensively with 12 carries for 54 yards and three touchdowns and two 2-point conversions. Frye chipped in with 48 yards on four rushes.
“They out schemed us a bunch of times,” Trosclair said. “They unbalanced us and we didn’t adjust.
“They ran the spread some that we didn’t practice against. But we made the plays when we needed to and grabbed the win.”
Eunice entertains Jennings Friday night in the Bobcats’ home opener.