NV's Preston Bagwell (11) looks for a hole to run through. Kale Hebert (28) blocks to create a hole for Bagwell.
Grant Wise (23) celebrates after a big run. Wise rushed for 193 yards.
Four North Vermilion defenders team up to tackle a Comeaux High runner.
A Comeaux defender breaks up a pass thrown to NV tight end Carter McKeithen (42).
NORTH VERMILION'S HEAD COACH GOING FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN THREE TIMES HELPED BEAT COMEAUX
Leroy—North Vermilion head coach Roderick Moy prefers not to punt the football to the other team. He was that way at Abbeville High, and he’s still that way at North Vermilion.
It has now been two games since his team punted.
During the game on Friday, the Patriots encountered fourth down situations three times when they were more than five yards away from a first down at midfield. Each time, instead of punting, the team went for it. Each time they did, the offense successfully gained the first down.
However, the most significant time was in the final two minutes of the game, when the game was on the line.
The Patriots were driving, trying to eat time off the clock, and leading 36-29.
With 1:51 to play in the game and NV on the Comeaux 45-yard-line, the Patriots were facing a fourth down and needed five yards for a first down.
There was no guessing what Moy was going to do on fourth down.
Instead of punting, he called a play that called for running back Grant Wise to take the ball to the right side. Wise broke two tackles, and darted 15 yards for a first down, icing the 36-29 win for the Patriots (2-4).
Coach Moy explained his reasoning for not punting.
“Scared money does not make money,” Moy said. “We were not going to lose with our seniors and running behind our seniors. I am not leaving it up to the other team to win the game.”
The Patriots had success doing what they do best - run the football.
North Vermilion ran for 416 total yards.
Two players rushed for more than 100 yards.
Wise just missed rushing for 200 yards. He had 193 yards on 25 carries.
Preston Bagwell had 17 carries for 127 yards and two scores. Kamron Aubrey rushed for 58 yards on six carries. NV quarterback James Higginbotham had nine carries for 38 yards.
Moy said he was confident about putting the game in the hands of his four seniors in the backfield.
“Preston, Kamron, James and Grant , those four seniors, we are going to ride them until their legs fall off,” said Moy.
In the first half, it looked like the Patriots were going to blow away the Spartans. They jumped out to a 13-0 lead, scoring on their first two possessions.
But then the game shifted with three minutes to play in the first half.
Comeaux intercepted a Higginbotham pass in the NV endzone and ran it to the 1-yard line. The Spartans marched 99 yards with the help of their passing game and went in and scored as the half ended, making it a 13-6 game. Owen LeBlanc blocked the extra point, which proved to be significant.
Comeaux High’s momentum carried over into the third quarter as it took its opening second-half drive into the end zone. Once again, the Spartans missed the extra point but were down only 13-12.
The Patriots answered, however, and marched 70 yards on their next possession. Aubrey’s 42-yard run was the big play of the drive.
Wise ran up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run that made it 20-12 with 8:08 to play in the third period.
After NV’s Noah Trahan and Chadler Richard teamed up to sack the Comeaux High quarterback on fourth down, the Patriots marched downfield to score a field goal.
Logan Blanchard kicked a 21-yard field goal to put the Patriots ahead 23-12 at the end of the third period.
NV’s Owen LeBlanc stopped Comeaux’s next drive with an interception, and the Patriots scored again two plays later.
Bagwell broke a couple of tackles and ran for 38 yards for a touchdown, making it 29-12 heading into the fourth period.
Comeaux High made the game interesting when it scored quickly and had a successful onside kick. They would have to settle for a field goal and were only down 29-23 with nine minutes to play.
The Patriots responded on their next drive by driving 65 yards in nine plays.
The big play of the game was a fourth-down and nine on the 48-yard line. Moy was not punting. On the fourth-down play, Higginbotham rolled right and connected with Aubrey on a short reception downfield, which Aubrey turned into a 33-yard reception that set up a score.
Bagwell scored from 11 yards out, which made it 36-23 with four minutes to play.
The Spartans scored their final touchdown with three minutes to play. They kicked an onside kick, and Bagwell recovered it at 2:49 left in the game.
Coach Moy said his players were not losing this homecoming game after what he saw when his players visited the elementary schools on Thursday.
“When we went to those community school pep rallies and the excitement we saw from those young kids, and I got to give my speech in front of my two kids, we were not losing tonight, and we were not going down punting the football,” Moy said.
