Week 4 of the high school football season was more of the same for Pickering and Rosepine. Leesville is developing into a young and dangerous offensive team that must shore up the defense. The Wampus Cats mauled 5A Pineville last week, 41-13. Pickering fell at Merryville, 30-7, and Rosepine traveled to Ascension Episcopal where they fell to the Blue Gators, 42-8.
Leesville
Leesville sophomore QB Trel Broom threw 4 TD passes for the second week in a row as the Wampus Cats powered past 5A Pineville Friday night at Wampus Cat Stadium. Leesville pushed their record to 3-1. The Rebels are now 2-2.
Broom threw four touchdown passes in the first half of the 60-point explosion at Many two weeks ago. He finished the game 11 of 16, passing for 208 yards and 4 TD’s. Broom threw to six different receivers, including a 20-yard score to All State running back Xavier Ford. He also connected for scores with DeAndre Herron, Julius Brown and Dylan Absher. Broom’s longest pass was an 80-yard catch-and-run to Davion Brtek that set up Leesville inside the Rebel 5-yard line.
Xavier Ford was durable and reliable, rushing 35 times for 278 yards and 2 TD’s. Ford’s 53-yard TD run in the first quarter put Leesville up 20-6. The senior running back has eclipsed the 1000-yard mark in just four games this season in his chase of Wampus Cat legend Cecil Collins. Ford now has 1,074 yards and 17 TD’s this year. He has passed the 6,000-yard mark for his career. Collins is the all-time leading Leesville rusher with 7,800 yards.
Defensively, Leesville was led by senior defensive back Jordan Patterson, who had 17 tackles, including seven solo and an interception. Jacob Pajinag had 10 tackles as the defense pressed Pineville with five tackles for losses and two quarterback sacks. Taj Jackson also picked off a Pineville pass. In 4 games the Leesville defense is allowing 34 ppg, but the dynamic offense averages 47.7 ppg.
Christian Delapp hit another 5 of 6 PAT’s and provides stability to the kicking game. Leesville was penalized 11 times for 68 yards, their most penalties this year.
Leesville heads north for the last non-district game, a matchup with the 5A Benton Tigers in Bossier City. Benton is off to their first 0-4 start in school history after losing to Captain Shreve last week, 53-35. Despite QB Malachi Zeigler’s 132 yards rushing with one TD and 140 yards passing with 2 TD’s, the Tigers could not contain the Gators. They ran up 32 first downs on offense but allowed 250 yards rushing and 293 yards passing on defense. Benton has also lost to Northwood, 24-21; Airline, 55-28; and Huntington, 27-21.
Game time is 7 p.m. at Tiger Stadium located at 449 Fairborn Avenue in Benton, Louisiana.
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Pickering
Pickering hit the road to Merryville and gave up 22 first-quarter points before losing to the Panthers 30-7. The Big Red of Coach John Daugherty fell to 1-3 on the season. The squad has been riddled with injuries to key players. Players stepped up and met the challenge for the Big Red. Ladarius Privitera filled in wherever needed. He started at QB and finished with 9 of 14 passing for 55 yards to three different receivers. Conner Joseph had five catches, Kenny Givens, three and Caleb Falls caught a ball. Falls also had an interception for Pickering on defense. Privitera ran the ball well with 14 carries for 103 yards rushing and one TD.
Merryville is now 2-1. They play the Hemphill, TX Hornets Friday night. The Big Red will host Lasalle from district 3 1A Friday night, 7pm at O’Banion Stadium. Lasalle picked up their first win of the season last week in a 50-30 decision over Block.
Rosepine
Rosepine fell to 0-4 on the season with a 42-8 road loss to Ascension Episcopal last week. Coach Fred Rosegrant’s youngsters have been sluggish on offense as they average just 5.5 ppg. In the loss to the Blue Gators the Eagles showed signs of life offensively. RB Brynnum Chaney rushed 14 times for 96 yards
While Zane Wellmaker had 43 yards on 11 carries. The duo combined for a season high rushing total for Rosepine. Quarterback Gabe McKee was 1/5 passing for 18 yards. His completion was an 18-yard strike to Aiden Shell. McKee scored the lone Eagles TD on a two-yard run. Chaney rushed for the two-point conversion.
The Eagles host (6-2A) Lake Arthur Friday night at 7 p.m. The Tigers come in hot at 3-1, beating Oakdale last week 26-20. Their other wins were over Bolton Academy (68-0) and Basile (34-12). Lake Arthur dropped a 31-14 decision to DeQuincy.
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