Bobcats conclude spring with win
By Tom Dodge
ST. MARTINVILLE - The road trip to St. Martinville on Tuesday proved productive for Eunice as the Bobcats concluded spring football with a scrimmage against the Tigers.
“We had a great spring,” head coach Paul Trosclair said after the scrimmage. “We have everything in place. We need to find a little more depth and we have a chance to have a good football team.
The Bobcats and Tigers divided the time into a controlled scrimmmage with coaches on the field for a pair of 15-play series for both teams and then the two teams squared off for two 10-minute halves in a game-type situation.
Alex Hudson scored from three yards out with 3:06 left in the first half and the Bobcats took a 7-0 lead with a successful estra point.
St. Martinville avoided a shutout when quarterback Jules Tripeaux scored from a yard out with 2:16 remaining but the Bobcats held on for the win when the Tigers missed the extra point.
In the first part of the scrimmage, the Bobcats scored three times while limiting the Tigers to only one trip inside the Eunice 50 yard line.
Nick Frank scored on a 31-yard run, while Stuart Turner connected with Tyler Trosclair for a 22-yard touchdown and Austin Young scampered in from seven yards out.
After holding St. Martinville to only a couple of first downs in the first 15-play series, the Bobcats’ defense was tested in the final drive of the second series.
St. Martinville drove into Bobcat territory before Tharold Simon intercepted Jules Tripeaux on the final play of the series.
“It is hard to replace (Donavon) Papillion with 170 tackles,” Trosclair said of replacing the departing seniors. “We have some good skill people and we have enough players to have a good football team.
“I don’t know if we will win them all, but we will be in the games.
“We will train real hard during the summer and see if we can get in real good shape,” the coach concluded.
The Bobcats open the 2008 regular season at home on Sept. 5 against the Crowley Gents.