Article Image Alt Text

Photo by Ethan Trangmar
The Eagles will play host to No. 3 seed Ouachita Christian next Friday for the right to play for the Division IV title.

Article Image Alt Text

Photo by Ethan Trangmar
Vermilion Catholic’s Saul Dartez (1) and Mikie Bazar (14) celebrate one of Bazar’s two touchdown catches during Friday’s quarterfinal win over Riverside Academy. Dartez also hauled in a pair of scores from Drew Lege, including one late in the first half that helped give the Eagles momentum.

Vermilion Catholic Eagles roll on to semi-finals

By Neal McClelland
Special to the Meridional

Midway through the second quarter, Vermilion Catholic found itself down 20-10 to Riverside Academy in the quarterfinal round of the Division IV playoffs Friday night at VCHS.
But even though down by two scores to the No. 7 seed, after taking an early 7-0 lead over the Rebels, the Eagles never panicked.
“We had a couple of lapses but we still knew we could win the game,” VC senior quarterback Drew Lege.
The senior signal caller proved prescient as he led the team to a drive just before halftime that ended with a touchdown pass to Saul Dartez that cut the lead to 20-17 going into the break.
It was the momentum shift needed as Vermilion Catholic came out in the second half and dominated Riverside and came away with the 33-20 win and the Eagles move on to the Division IV semifinals next week when they play host to No. 3 seed Ouachita Christian for the right to play for the Division IV championship in the Superdome in three weeks
“That touchdown was huge,” VC head coach Broc Prejean said. “That was Saul Dartez doing Saul Dartez things. He makes a play when we absolutely need it. Twenty-six seconds on the clock, we knew that we had to get some type of points on that possession and for him to bring us down to the two yard line and then call his own play and score the touchdown, I think it shifted the momentum to us right before halftime.”
It was a close, hard-fought, slobber-knocker game as the two perennial playoff powers went toe-to-toe, with neither team backing down from the challenge.
“It was hard-fought,” Prejean said. “The last two weeks have been tough. That’s what the playoffs are all about though.”
It started out well for the Eagles (8-0). Taking the opening kickoff, VC scored it’s first touchdown, a pass from Lege to Dartez appropriately enough, less than a minute into the game.
Then a fumble recovery on Riverside’s first possession set the Eagles up for another quick score.
But Riverside’s defense held and VC came away with no points after a missed field goal and suddenly, it was the Rebels with all the momentum
“We preach to score quickly, and when we didn’t score after the fumble, it took some momentum away,” Prejean said. “And credit Riverside as well, they went on long drives that deflated us a little.”
“Penalties always kill us and it takes the momentum away,” Lege said. “We had a touchdown taken away from us and it took some momentum away from us.”
Riverside was able to get a couple of scores and take a 14-7 lead before VC rallied with a 31 yard field goal by John Robert Allums to cut the lead to 14-10. But another Rebel touchdown increased the lead to 20-10 before Lege and Dartez brought VC back to within three points at halftime.
“That touchdown was super big,” Lege said. “Going into halftime after that touchdown, our momentum was super big and we came out in the third quarter and rolled with it to the end.”
And roll the Eagles did.
Vermilion Catholic held Riverside scoreless in the second half, while Lege threw a another touchdown pass to Dartez and a pair of strikes to Mikie Bazar. Add another Allums field goal and the Eagles took control of the game and cruised into the semifinals.
“I didn’t say much at halftime,” Prejean said. “We told them they’ll figure it out. They’ll figure out a way to score one more point than Riverside and they did.”
Ashton Belaire, who had a forced fumble in the game that helped the Eagles to the win and was part of the defense that forced four turnovers, knew that it was going to be good night.
“We started slow and had a few mistakes but we were able to figure it out and get the win,” he said. “Now there’s no stopping us.”
Lege finished the night with 263 yards. Allums also had four catches for 25 yards and four touchdowns on 17-of-27 passing; Dartez caught five passes for 78 yards and two scores; Josh Sagrera had 4 catches for 76 yards and Bazar had three catches for 72 yards and two scores.

Vermilion Today

Abbeville Meridional

318 N. Main St.
Abbeville, LA 70510
Phone: 337-893-4223
Fax: 337-898-9022

The Kaplan Herald

219 North Cushing Avenue
Kaplan, LA 70548

The Gueydan Journal

311 Main Street
Gueydan, LA 70542