Bulldogs dominate Crusaders in non-district tilt

The Ville Platte High Bulldogs would use a dominating defense and potent ground attack to subdue the Westminster Crusaders Friday night. The Bulldogs would rack up a total of 548 yards of offense and defensively limit Westminster to 100 total yards. Terese Thomas led all rushers with 235 yards on 15 carries. The victory gives Ville Platte the ever-important 10 power points needed for playoff consideration.
Westminster dug into their bag of tricks to start the game by going with an onside kick. The Crusaders would recover the ball and take over on offense. The Bulldog defense did not let the special team’s mistake hamper the beginning of the game as the defense forced a three and out on Westminster.
Ville Platte took possession after the punt and began moving the ball up the field. After nine plays and a couple of penalties, the Bulldog drive would stall. A bad snap on the punt by Ville Platte would give the ball to Westminster at the 26 yard line. The Crusaders proceeded to fumble the ball on the first play and the Bulldog defense recovered the loose ball. After two quick runs by Daylon Jones and Terese Thomas, quarterback Terez Alfred would jet 21 yards for the Ville Platte score. The extra point was good and Ville Platte led 7-0 with 3:53 left in the first quarter.
On the ensuing Crusader possession, the Bulldog defense once again turned up the heat and forced Westminster to punt after three unsuccessful pass attempts. The snap sailed over the punter’s head and Ville Platte was back in business, falling on the ball at the 15 yard line of the Crusaders. On first down, Thomas stepped through the Westminster defense for a 10-yard run. The next play, Jones knifed through the Crusader defense for a five-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked but Ville Platte led 13-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Another three and out on Westminster’s next possession forced a punt. Ville Platte would begin the next drive at their own 33 yard line. Thomas and Jones threaded their way through the Crusader defense on successive plays to bring the football all the way down to the Westminster 33 yard line. A delay of game penalty and a quarterback sack of Alfred put Ville Platte in a third and 25 situation. A perfect 46-yard pitch and catch from Alfred to Oxzabein Serie gave Ville Platte the 19-0 lead late in the second quarter. The extra point was blocked and the Bulldogs took the lead into halftime.
The Ville Platte defense started the second half much the same way it dominated the first half. The opening possession for Westminster was fruitless, as the Bulldogs forced another three and out. Ville Platte took over the pigskin at their own 36 yard line after the punt. One play later, a tremendous 64-yard touchdown jaunt by Thomas put the Bulldogs up 25-0. The extra point was no good. However, Ville Platte held a commanding lead with 10:14 left in the third quarter.
Two incomplete passes and a run for a loss forced Westminster to punt on the next possession. The Ville Platte offense became detrimental to themselves as several penalties pinned the Bulldogs back at their own one yard line. The next play would see the Crusaders get on the board as Hunter Devillier sacked Alfred in the end zone for the safety. At the end of the third quarter, Ville Platte’s lead was 25-2.
The fourth quarter opened with Ville Platte continuing to attack the Crusaders on the ground. Six straight running plays, the final two by Thomas, found pay dirt for the Bulldogs as they extended their lead to 31-2. A 15-yard touchdown run by Thomas capped off the scoring drive. The extra point was good and Ville Platte led 32-2 with 11:27 left in the game.
Ville Platte sealed the victory, fittingly enough, with a defensive touchdown. With Westminster facing a second and long on their own 38 yard line, the Crusader quarterback dropped back for a pass. The ball was knocked loose and Jones scooped up the fumble and motored to the end zone for the score. The extra point was good and Ville Platte led 39-2 with 6:55 left in the game.
With the victory well in hand, Ville Platte put in their reserves for the remaining time left. Westminster took advantage of the situation and drove the ball 58 yards on nine plays to add on to their total. The extra point was true and the scoring ended, giving Ville Platte the 38-9 win.
After the game, Ville Platte Head Coach Jorie Randle commented on the team’s performance. “I was really pleased with the overall effort of our team tonight,” stated Randle. “I was especially happy with our offensive and defensive line. They really controlled the game tonight. When you can control the line of scrimmage, you win half of the battle. Special teams was a little shaky and we will definitely work on that aspect of our game this week at practice.
Ville Platte, now 1-0, will travel next week to Basile to take on the Bearcats. Basile defeated Sacred Heart 35-7 on Friday to also be 1-0 on the season. This will be a tough test for the Bulldogs, as Basile produces a veteran squad with a winning tradition. Ville Platte lost to Basile last year in Ville Platte.