Red Devils pick up opening win over Mamou

Pickering came into Mamou Friday night to begin the 2014 regular season. The teams traded touchdowns in the beginning before trading turnovers. The teams then traded jabs like two heavyweight fighters in the ring. However, the Red Devils ultimately withstood the test and showed the Green Demons whose forks were more fearful. The game ended with a victory for Pickering, 48-13.
After the game, Mamou Head Coach Brian Brumfield commented on his team’s performance. “We played well in the first half, but we have to play well the whole game,” said Brumfield. “Our offense came up with a few good plays. Defensively we need to do a better job of tackling.”
Pickering’s Head Coach John Cryer gave his assessment after the game. “Our team is young,” stated Cryer. “We just started out slow. Our offense is very athletic and our defense played extremely well. I thought we did a good job of executing the game plan.”
Mamou ran the opening kickoff back to the 30 yard line. Kendal Jack carried for one yard to bring up second down and nine. On the next play, Pickering got the scoring started when they picked up a fumble for a touchdown with 10:59 remaining in the first quarter. The extra point was good, and Pickering led 7-0.
Mamou returned the kickoff to the 21 yard line. Dylan Duplechain threw a pass complete to Nathaniel Holland for six yards. Later in the drive Duplechin ran a quarterback keeper that was good enough for a Mamou first down at the 35 yard line. Kendal Jack and Daniel Matthews combined to rush for a first down at midfield. The drive subsequently stalled, and Hunter Israel punted the football into the end zone for a touchback.
As the rain began to fall slightly on the ensuing Pickering possession, Mamou picked up a fumble at the Pickering 24 yard line. Mamou capped off the drive with a 25-yard touchdown completion to Jacob Israel in the corner of the end zone. However, the point after was blocked. Mamou trailed 7-6 with 5:27 remaining in the first quarter.
On Pickering’s next drive an offside penalty gave the Red Devils a first down at the Mamou 30 yard line. Pickering then gashed the line on a long run to Mamou’s 14 yard line. Mamou’s defense withstood the test and forced Pickering to turn the ball over on downs.
Joab Perron of Mamou went down on the next drive with an apparent leg injury and was carted off the field. “The momentum seemed to die when Perron went down,” stated Brumfield.
The second quarter began with a Mamou punt. The drive resulted in a Pickering touchdown from seven yards out. The extra point was no good. Pickering led Mamou 13 to 6.
Mamou ran the kickoff back to the 45 yard line. Dylan Duplechain had a 40-yard run negated by a holding penalty. Duplechain quickly fired a pass complete to Kendal Jack at midfield for a gain of 20 yards. On third and five, Nathaniel Holland caught the next pass at the 40 yard line, which was good enough for a first down. Mamou saw it’s drive begin to sputter as the rain lightly fell again. However, a roughing the passer penalty and an unsportsmanlike penalty on Pickering gave the drive new life. Duplechain then carried the ball for a six-yard touchdown that was brought back because of a holding penalty. A pass interference penalty against Pickering gave Mamou an automatic first down. Mamou then tied up the ball game 13-13 with a touchdown carry and made the point after attempt with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter.
The tied game was short-lived, as 20 seconds later Pickering carried a screen pass for a 72-yard touchdown The two-point conversion was good and Pickering led Mamou 21-13.
Nathaniel Holland of Mamou returned the kickoff to midfield. Pickering intercepted the next pass from Mamou. Robbie Deshotel and Daniel Matthews both made big defensive plays resulting in a recovered fumble at the Mamou 12 yard line. Pickering then returned the favor by intercepting a pass in the end zone.
The next Pickering possession began with a 30-yard gain followed by a Mamou personal foul penalty, which brought the ball to the 46-yard line. After completing a pass for 15-yards, the Pickering quarterback ran for a first down to the Mamou 10-yard line. A holding penalty backed up Pickering 10-yards before scoring on a pass completion in the end zone. The point after attempt was good, giving Pickering a 28-13 lead with 2:12 remaining before half time.
The next Mamou possession resulted in a Pickering interception and touchdown, increasing the deficit to 22 points at the half.
The tailback for Pickering carried the ball to the 48-yard line to commence the second half for a gain of 24 yards. Pickering then began to wear Mamou down, as the same tailback carried the football for a touchdown. The point after was no good, and with 8:55 remaining in the third quarter Pickering led 41-13. The rout was on.
Mamou, on the ensuing possession, looked like it was going nowhere before another roughing the passer penalty on behalf of Pickering gave Mamou a first down and brought the ball to the 42 yard line. The drive ultimately stalled again as Mamou was forced to punt. Robbie Deshotel of Mamou brought down the punt return.
Pickering carried to gain 28 yards setting up first down and 10 at the 35-yard line and then began to gash Mamou with subsequent carries, resulting in another first down. Jacob Israel closed the third quarter with a tackle in the backfield, and Hunter Fusilier began the fourth quarter with a tackle for a short loss to set up fourth down. After a timeout, Pickering found the end zone again and successfully made the point after. The score now was 48-13 with 10:13 left in the game.
Mamou got the ball down to the Pickering three yard line on its next possession but ended the game inches short of the goal line.