VC downs Bobcats

By John Burson

Sports Writer

ABBEVILLE – The Eunice High Bobcats hurt themselves with turnovers and penalties here Friday night as they fell to the Vermilion Catholic Eagles by a 21-6 margin.

The second-ranked 1-A Eagles, who improved to 8-0 on the season, totaled 371 yards of offense against the Bobcat defense, passing for 225.

Meanwhile, Eagle defenders were swarming all over Bobcat runners, limiting senior running back Darious Richard to only 20 yards on 16 rushes.

Vermilion Catholic’s offense wasted no time in taking control of the game, driving 70 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. 

Quarterback Brennan Gallet,  running back Mike Campbell, and receiver Connor Menard did most of the damage on the drive. 

Campbell capped the drive with a one-yard run at the 7:39 mark of the first quarter. 

Emile Trahan kicked the PAT to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead.

The Bobcats took possession at their 37 following the kickoff. A pass from Alex Richard to Scotty Bihm gave the Cats a quick first-down at their own 49, but the Cats were forced to punt.

The Eagles used a Gallet to Menard pass to move deep within Eunice territory. But a penalty and two incomplete passes killed the drive and the Cats took over possession at their own 20. 

On first down, Alex Richard broke into the clear on a keeper and raced 65 yards before stumbling to the ground at the Eagles’ 15. 

Darious Richard rushed for five yards to the 10, but was thrown for a 3-yard loss on the next play. 

Richard’s pass attempt on third down was intercepted to end the threat. 

The two teams exchanged punts before the Cats caught a break when Eagles’ punter Andre Dubois got off an 8-yard punt and the Cats took possession at midfield.

The Cats were unable to capitalize on the field position after being set back by a holding penalty.

The Eunice defense gave its offense even better field position by stopping the Eagles on a fourth-and-one at the Eagles’ 36-yard line on the ensuing series.

The Cats picked up a first down thanks to a penalty before Richard teamed with Jerwaski Thomas on a 37-yard pass play to the Eagles’ 8-yard line. 

Thomas caught the ball after it was tipped into the air by the defender.

But, on first down, a holding penalty set the Cats back. 

On third-and-goal from the 20-yard line, quarterback Richard found a big hole in the line and ran for a touchdown with 34.6 seconds left in the half. 

The PAT kick drifted wide right, but the Cats had cut the lead to 7-6.

The Eagles took possession at their 35 on the kickoff and quickly converted a first down on an 11-yard pass from Gallet to Menard. 

The two teamed up again on the next play as Gallet found Menard on a deep throw to complete a 54-yard scoring pass. 

Trahan added the PAT kick and the Eagles led 14-6 with 14.8 seconds left in the half.

The Cats were unable to move the ball following the second-half kickoff and the Eagles took possession at their own 36 after a punt. 

The Eagles moved smartly down the field with a mix of run and pass, earning a first-and-goal at the Eunice 5-yard line. But the threat ended as the Cats recovered a fumble inside their own 2.

Richard and Thomas combined on a 32-yard pass on second down to move to their own 33. But the Cats could go no further and were forced to punt.

Pinned back at their own 29, the Eagles could not move the ball and were forced to punt. 

The Bobcats blocked the punt attempt, taking possession at the V.C. 19-yard line. 

On first down, Richard found Tommy Gillard with a completion inside the 10, but the play was nullified by a motion penalty. 

Two plays later Richard was intercepted by Tyler Derouen at the 11, ending the threat.

The Eagles proceeded to drive 89 yards in eight plays for a score, with Campbell running eight yards for the touchdown. The PAT gave the Eagles a 21-6 lead with 9:28 left in the game.

The Cats got the football back twice, but they were unable to convert a first down on their final two possessions of the game.

“We had three chances to score and couldn’t finish,” lamented Bobcat head coach Paul Trosclair. “We hurt ourselves with penalties and mistakes.” 

The Cats, now 5-3 overall, return to district play this Friday when they host the Crowley High Gents at Bobcat Stadium.