Two big games highlighted the seventh week of the high school schedule in Vernon Parish. Leesville played at DeRidder in a classic Hooper Trophy match-up, winning 28-22, while Rosepine throttled Pickering 48-0 in the Battle for the Big Dog Jug at Pickering.
HOOPER TROPHY GAME
Leesville at DeRidder was a true heavyweight battle with the two teams trading knock-out punches and the lead all night. The game ended with the Dragons at the Wampus Cats’ 5 yard line as the horn sounded.
Leesville took the opening kickoff and rode the legs of All State running back Xavier Ford down the field. The end result was an 11-yard scamper by QB Corbitt Robbins that put Leesville on the board first. Leesville tried an on-side kick, but DeRidder recovered at midfield. The Leesville defense thwarted the Dragon drive, but the Cat offense stalled on their next possession at the DeRidder 8 yard line, and a field goal try was wide to the right.
Dragon Coach Brad Parmley used a variety of running backs in the split veer offense that continuously got 3-4 yards per try. Their first score came on a 9-yard run from sophomore RB Reed Williams, who tallied two more scores on the night to go along with 88 rushing yards.
Leesville answered at the end of the first half when Robbins found Izaiah Farley for a 61-yard catch and run. Wyatt McShan hit the PAT for a 14-7 Leesville halftime lead.
DeRidder took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove down the field ending with a 15-yard Williams score. DeRidder tacked on a 2-point PAT for a 22-14 lead. The next Leesville series ended up at the DeRidder 10 yard line before stalling out. DeRidder got the ball back and facing 4th and one at their own 19 opted to go for the first down. Leesville bowed up on defense and stopped them in what might have been the most crucial play of the game. That defensive stand led to a 4-yard TD from Ford to open the fourth quarter. The 2-point try left Leesville behind 22-20.
With six minutes to play Leesville hit paydirt again when Ford had a nifty 55-yard scamper to make it 28-22. He finished the night with 24 carries for 230 yards and three scores. DeRidder stayed in their run offense and methodically went down the field only to end up with fourth down and 13 at the Leesville 16 yard line. A lateral play gained 11 yards to the Leesville five before the horn sounded.
Leesville senior QB Corbitt Robbins was 9 of 14 passing for 117 yards and a score. Farley had 7 receptions for 112 yards and a score. Defensively, Leesville was led by LB Jeremiah Lee with 10 tackles including three for losses. Kade Manci had an interception, and Alex Williams and Rashad Johnson Jr. recovered fumbles for Leesville.
The Leesville victory clinches the 7th Hooper Trophy series for the Wampus Cats. Leesville moves to 4-3 (1-0 3-4A). DeRidder drops to 4-3 (1-1 3-4A).
Leesville’s next game is their homecoming against LaGrange on Friday, October 20, at 7 p.m. Listen live on KJAE-FM 93.5.
BIG DOG JUG GAME
The battle for the small school supremacy in Vernon Parish that has been the Big Dog Jug game for over 20 years was decidedly one-sided this year. Rosepine took a 50-0 win in a game shortened due to a running clock.
The Eagles shook O’Banion Stadium with a 42-point first quarter outburst. The victory gives Rosepine a 2-0 lead in the 4th Big Dog Jug trophy series. Rosepine scored on 35-yard run by Gabe McKee and two- point PAT by Devin Janice. Janice added a nine-yard TD and Lane Willis a two-point PAT on the next series for a 16-0 lead. The Eagle defense added a sack for an 18-0 margin. Landon Lawrence returned a punt 65 yards with a Willis two-point PAT to make it 26-0. Willis lit up the scoreboard on the next series with a 34-yard run, and Keyton Jackson had the two-point PAT for a 34-0 lead. Blaine Savoie got on the Eagle scoring train with a 4-yard run and two-point PAT from Janice. The final Rosepine score came on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter from Trae Bjornberg, who also had the two-point PAT for the final margin of 50-0. The Eagles go to 3-4 (1-0 4-AA) on the season while Pickering falls to 0-7 (0-1 4-AA). Pickering plays at Oakdale Friday night at 7 p.m. Rosepine hosts Holy Savior Menard Friday at 7 p.m. Listen live on KVVP-FM/105.7.
