Raiders down Bobcats

PRAIRIE RONDE – The Eunice High Bobcats opened their District 5-3A contest against the Northwest High Raiders with a 7-play, 72-yard scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead.
Key plays on the Bobcat drive included a 17-yard run by Avery Lee and a 48-yard pass from Jaden Brasseaux to Lee. Lee capped the scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown run and Austin Phillips kicked the PAT for the Bobcats.
But the Bobcats struggled offensively after that impressive opening drive and the Raiders managed to score twice in the second quarter to take a 14-7 victory thanks to an impressive defensive effort that limited the Bobcats to under 200 yards for the first time this season.
The victory by Coach Chris Edwards Raiders was their first-ever win over the Bobcats.
Bobcat head coach Paul Trosclair felt that his team played hard, but was never able to gain field position after that initial scoring drive.
“We played well defensively in the second half, but they kept us bottled up deep in our own territory.”
Northwest responded to the Bobcat touchdown by establishing their offensive attack behind quarterback Terrel Guillory and running back Matthew Rideau. The Bobcat defense would stop the Raiders at the Eunice 46 on a third-and-ten try, forcing a punt.
The punt backed up the Bobcats to their own 20, and despite a couple of five-yard runs by Avery Lee and Georrein Dupre, the Cats were forced to punt.
The Raiders took possession at the Eunice 30 and would not be denied. Rideau barrelled ahead on runs of 14 and 8 yards before powering his way into the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown run. Kevin Lopez kicked the PAT to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:33 left in the first half.
Neither team was able to move effectively on their next possessions, with the Cats punting and Guillory being intercepted by Jordan Ledet to end a drive at the Eunice 20.
The Bobcat couldn’t take advantage of the defensive turnover, though and had to punt from deep in their own territory. The Raiders took the ball at their own 38 and proceeded to mark 62 yards in 12 plays to take the lead.
Rideau did much of the damage against the Cats, carrying the ball seven times for 37 yards. Guillory teamed with wide receiver August Pitre on a 14-yard pass play during the drive as well.
The touchdown came on a Guillory to Keyshawn Jackson jump pass with six seconds left in the half to take a 14-7 lead.
Northwest got the ball to start the second half and drove from their own 27 to the Eunice 38, eating up much of the third quarter.
The Bobcat defense did force a punt which pinned the Cats back at their own 20. The next two possessions for the Bobcats ended with a lost fumble and an interception.
Eunice didn’t touch the ball again until a Raider punt gave them possession at their own six-yard line. Lee, running out of the Wildcat formation, had runs of 21, 13, and 14 to get the Cats to their own 44. But the Cats were forced to punt, backing the Raiders back at their own 20 with 8:04 left in the game.
Northwest drove down the field to the Eunice 42 before the Bobcat defense forced a punt, pinning the Bobcats at their own 5-yard line. The Cats were unable to move past their own 25 and the Raiders killed the clock to end the game.