Inter-parish clash

Most of the time, an early non-district game is not usually not looked at as make or break contest for the teams involved.
However, for the Mamou Demons and the Pine Prairie Panthers this Friday’s clash between the two inter-parish rivals is almost a must win, for different reasons. The game will be played in Pine Prairie. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
For the Mamou Demons, who are 0-3 on the season, a win would mean finally breaking through in the win column, something that would go a long way into instilling confidence in team.
The Demons, a program in the rebuilding process, have only won three games in the last three years.
Last week against Oberlin, Mamou came out like a team ready to get their first victory of the year. The Demons clicked on offense and played solid defense in the first half against the Tigers, which was enough to stay within six points of the lead as the half closed.
Unfortunately, things turned south in a hurry for Mamou in the second half. Oberlin quickly pulled away in the third quarter and the Demons could not match the Tigers in a 36-12 loss.
“Oberlin got the momentum in the third quarter,” said Mamou head coach Brian Brumfield. “Even though they took a big lead on us, our players continued to play hard. We made some adjustments on defense in the fourth quarter and played well the last part of the game.”
One thing is for sure, Mamou looked really sound running the football, especially in the first half. However, the passing game was still shaky again this week.
“We went to a two-back set,” stated Brumfield. “That allowed us to run the ball more effectively. We are still working on the timing of the passing game. We will continue to try and get the quarterback and receivers on the same page. I think if we can run the ball effectively, it will open up things in the passing game.”
For the Pine Prairie Panthers, the come from behind win over Pearl River was just what the doctor ordered.
The Panthers are now 1-2 on the year and have huge momentum surging through the players after the big 32-31 victory over the Rebels.
“We needed that one,” said Pine Prairie head coach Yves Prince. “It was a great win for the players, the coaching staff and the student body. It shows we can win games even if we are behind late in the game. Hopefully, this will give us some confidence for the rest of the season.”
One of the reasons the Panthers were able to pull out a victory, was the addition of a familiar face to the lineup. Douglas Fontenot, the athletic running back, was ruled eligible the day of the game for Pine Prairie.
Fontenot helped lead the Panthers on offense, carrying the ball 17 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
“Douglas coming back made a big difference,” stated Prince. “His experience running the ball is big for us. He knows how to cut and find the holes. He will be a complement to the other talented running backs we already have and it takes a lot of pressure off of Dylan (Doucet).”
Both coaches know what is at stake Friday night and both coaches have the utmost respect for the opposing team.
“They have a solid football team,” commented Brumfield. “Getting Douglas back just adds to the number of athletes they have. They are big on the front line. It will be important for us to try and establish our run game. We are going to continue working on the passing game and we have to put last week behind us.”
“Our players are excited to get an opportunity to play Mamou again this year,” stated Prince. “It is always a fun game. They are improving every week. Against Oberlin, their running game looked really good. It is going to be a tough assignment for us this week. We are going to have to play assignment football and try to continue establishing the run game for us to be successful this week.”