The Red Saints took advantage of five first half turnovers by the Blue Grizzles on their way to a 38-7 rout in the inaugural Sportsman’s Paradise Bowl at St. Thomas More’s Cougar Stadium on Saturday in Lafayette.
In fact, only one touchdown on the day was not the result of a fumble.
Leesville’s Michael Ford put the first points of the game on the board on a 78-yard screen pass from Belle Chase’s Blake Matherne with 10:40 left in the first quarter.
The LSU commit also scored on a 1-yard run and was named the offensive MVP for the Saints.
The Grizzles came back to tie the game at 7-7 when Ouachita’s Cameron Blakes returned a fumble by Rayville’s Kenny Bell 28 yards for a score with five minutes left in the first quarter.
It was all Saints after that as they went on to score 28 points in the first quarter.
The Red team took the lead for good after a fumble by the Blue’s Rob Walker (Mamou) turned into a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brad Brooks (Belle Chasse) to Derrick Woods (John McDonough) with 3:33 left in the first quarter.
The Grizzles moved the ball 41 yards in six plays to the Saints 37, but another fumble, this time by quarterback Matt Smith (Haughton), ended the drive.
Smith’s fumble was returned to the Blue’s one yard line by Kenny Cain (John Curtis). One play later, Ford punched it in to give the Red team a 21-7 lead.
Cain was named the defensive MVP for the Red Saints. In addition to returning a fumble 62 yards, Cain also picked off a pass late in the fourth quarter.
The Red team’s other first quarter score came on a fumble recovery in the end zone by Richard Buckland (Dutchtown).
The Red Saints added a one-yard run by Darin Self (St. Helena) in the second quarter and a 51-yard field goal by St. Thomas More’s Tyler Listi.
Damian Washington (Green Oaks) was named the Blue team offensive MVP after catching four passes for 39 yards.
The second half was relatively quiet with neither team able to score.
After making a 51-yard field goal in the first half, Listi missed on a 48 yarder and had a 35-yard attempt blocked by Bennie Logan (Red River).
The Blue team got inside the Red 30 twice in the fourth quarter, but turned it over on downs both times.
Lafayette, La. —
