Vernon Parish will have one football team playing in the high school post-season playoffs that begin in two weeks. Leesville clinched the District 3-4A title Friday with a 48-24 victory over the Eunice Bobcats on October 27. Pickering was shutout by South Beauregard last Thursday 49-0, and Rosepine fell at home to Avoyelles 18-0 last Friday.
Pickering
Pickering lost to South Beauregard 49-0, continuing their losing streak for over two years. The young Red Devils fell to 0-9 on the season. No details were available at press time. Pickering will end the regular season on the road at Avoyelles on Friday, November 3, at 7 p.m.
Rosepine
Rosepine gained over 100 yards rushing but their offense failed to find the end zone again in an 18-0 loss to Avoyelles. The Mustangs scored at the end of the first quarter with a one-yard run by Decareyn Sampson and a two-point try by QB Braydon Tanner. Tanner got the next Avoyelles score in the third quarter with a QB sneak and two-point conversion run. The Mustangs’ last score came on a three-yard run by Zayden Williams.
The Eagles managed 102 yards rushing in the game. Lane Willis had 27; Devin Janice 33; and Gabe McKee 25. Defensively, the Eagles were led by Josh Peek with five-and-a-half tackles, and Landon Lawrence with four-and-a-half tackles. Austin Thompson had a fumble recovery for Rosepine which fell to 3-6 with the loss. They travel to Oakdale Friday night November 3 to face the 7-2 Warriors in the final game of the 2023 season. Rosepine at Oakdale…LIVE on 105.7/KVVP-FM at 7 p.m.
Leesville
Leesville will represent Vernon Parish football in the post season by virtue of the district-title clinching victory over Eunice 48-24. Leesville used an explosive 21-point first quarter and a dominant second half defense to seal the title in District 3-4A with one game on the schedule.
Leesville 6-3 (4-0 in 3-4A) heads to Rayne 6-3 (2-2 in 3-4A) Friday, November 3, for the regular season finale. The victory over Eunice meant the 8th straight winning season for the Wampus Cats and a potential first round playoff game at home.
Last Friday, Eunice opened the game with a an on-side kick attempt that Leesville recovered near midfield. It went downhill for the Bobcats after that as Leesville scored three TDs in the first quarter. Isaiah Farley had a 28-yard scoring run. Xavier Ford went 53 yards for the second TD. Leesville’s third touchdown, a two-yard run by Ford, was set up after a bad snap on a Eunice punt.
The second quarter told a far different story as the Eunice wing-T offense took over. QB Montana Brown scored on a pair of QB sneaks and then hit tight end Cameron Carrier with an 18-yard strike. A 21-yard field goal by Omar Gonzales gave Eunice the 24-21 halftime lead.
A rare deluge fell on Wampus Cat stadium at halftime, scattering fans from the stands.
The second half was all Leesville. Defensively, the Wampus Cats never allowed Eunice past midfield, and the Bobcats completed only two passes all night.
Xavier Ford was a wrecking ball at running back with a 14-yard touchdown in the third and a 28-yard run for a score at the end of the third quarter. Ford also tallied touchdown runs of six and nine yards in the fourth quarter. He finished the night with 39 carries for 309 yards and 6 TDs. Ford is over 1800 yards rushing on the season and over 4500 yards for his career at LHS. Isaiah Farley had three receptions Friday leaving him with 43 catches on the season: fifth most on the LHS receiving list.
Leesville 6-3 (4-0 district 3-4A) will finish the regular season Friday, November 3, on the road at Rayne 6-3 (2-2 district 3-4A). The Wolves lost to DeRidder last week 49-20. In week five they rang up 68 points on Crowley; 54 points in a win over Lagrange; and 43 against Washington-Marion.
Leesville is currently ranked number nine in the Division II non-select schools with a 12.72 power ranking. Their 8.89 strength of schedule is atop the Top Ten Division II non-select schools.
Leesville at Rayne…listen live on KJAE-FM/93.5.
