Self-inflicted wounds

VILLE PLATTE -- Trailing 7-0 at halftime, Sacred Heart came out of the locker room with renewed purpose and energy. Determined to earn a season-ending Homecoming victory, the Trojans quickly scored to tie the game up.
On the next series, the Trojan defense shut down the Delcambre Panthers, giving the ball back to their offense, with all the momentum that a team could want.
Then it all fell apart.
Two straight turnovers, including a 95-yard interception for a touchdown, led to a 14 point swing that put the game out of reach for the Trojans, leading to a 28-7 Panther win.
The Trojans turned the ball over five times on the evening
“Self-inflicted wounds,” lamented Trojan head coach Josh Harper. “We came out in the second half fired up to play. We made some adjustments and moved the ball well. Our defense was able to stop them. Things were going well.
“But,” he continued, “those self-inflicted wounds will catch up to you.”
After initially giving up a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, the Trojans settled down through the first half, gradually starting to take control as the game wore on.
However – in a sign of things to come – a turnover ruined the Trojans’ best scoring opportunity of the first half.
With 3:45 to play in the second quarter, Sacred Heart took possession at its own 40-yard line.
The Trojans drove down to the Panther 18-yard line with under a minute to play in the half.
Unfortunately, a third down pass was intercepted by Delcambre killing the Trojan drive. Sacred Heart entered the locker room at half, trailing 7-0.
As the third quarter started, the Trojans took possession first, displaying an obvious renewed intensity and determination. On the first play, Garrick Fontenot peeled off ten yards for a first down.
The Trojans kept the ball on the ground throughout the seven-play, 60-yard drive. Fontenot capped the drive with an exclamation point.
On second-and-goal, he plowed into the Panther defenders, stiff-arming one backward two yards to fall on the goal line for a touchdown. Alec Gotro nailed the point-after-try, tying the game, 7-7.
After tying the game up, the Trojan defense made the necessary stop to get the ball back for its offense on its 23-yard line.
On the second Trojan possession of the third quarter, Sacred Heart picked right back up where it left off. Averaging nearly seven yards a carry, on four plays the Trojans pushed the ball into Panther territory.
Just when it seemed the momentum had turned in Sacred Heart’s direction, the Trojans coughed the ball up. Hunter Delcambre recovered the fumble, ending the drive and giving the Panthers the ball at midfield.
Nevertheless, the Trojan defense seemed to still be in control, forcing a fourth-and-five.
Delcambre, however, pulled the right play at the right time: a criss-cross counter play that Trevor Peltier exploited for a 23-yard run.
On the next play, quarterback Cole Delcambre scored on the keeper. Olivier Nuñez made his second PAT, and suddenly Delcambre was back on top, 14-7, at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
After receiving a short kickoff, Sacred Heart began the fourth quarter at its own 37-yard line.
Once again, Sacred Heart delivered a steady dose of Fontenot left, right, and up the middle, driving down to the four-yard line.
Once the Trojans got inside the five-yard line, however, Sacred Heart continued to shoot itself in the foot.
On first- and second-and-goal, Sacred Heart lost 10 yards. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 17-yard line, the Trojans tried a pass again. This time Tylar Lewis stepped in front of the Trojan receiver, intercepting the pass at the five-yard line. Lewis cut left and raced to the end zone, scoring on a 95-yard pick.
Nuñez hit the PAT, and Delcambre led, 21-7, with just over two minutes to play in the game.
The Trojans needed to two touchdowns in a hurry, so they tried to pass their way down the field. But, four straight incompletions gave Delcambre the ball back with two minutes to play, on the Trojan 35-yard line.
On the next play from scrimmage, Nuñez took a handoff to the end zone for the score. After making the extra point, Delcambre led by three touchdowns, 28-7, with 1:51 left to play.
The final Trojan gasp at a win ended with another turnover, this time a fumble at the Panther 15-yard line.
Sacred Heart ends the season 2-8. Delcambre, which benefited from a forfeit by Catholic of New Iberia, ends the season 3-7.