Pine Prairie takes opener over Bunkie

BUNKIE-- Pine Prairie made history on Friday night when they rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Bunkie 22-­3 in a non­district game.
It was the Panthers first ever opening day victory since the school started playing football in 2004.
Down 3-­0 entering the fourth quarter, Pine Prairie didn’t even have a first down in the game and had only 20 yards of total offense, all of those yards via the run.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Bunkie was called for a late hit on a Pine Prairie receiver during an incomplete pass on third down.
With their initial first ­down of the game, Pine Prairie running back Jerrod Sims broke free on the next play for a 65-­yard touchdown run at the 10:57 mark. The extra point was good and Pine Prairie took a 7-3 lead. That started a run of 22 straight points for the Panthers.
The Panthers took a 9­-3 lead on a safety when an errant Bunkie snap sailed over the punter’s head and out of the end zone.
On the ensuing kickoff, Pine Prairie recovered an onside kick and quickly went 38 yards in five plays, including a 22-yard run by Sims.
Gaten Chaddrick ended the drive with a one­-yard keeper on fourth down. Tyler Soileau added the extra point to put Pine Prairie up 16­-0.
The final score of the game came on a 40-yard interception return by Sims with 1:02 left in the game. The extra point kick failed and Pine Prairie held a 22-3 lead.
Sims led Pine Prairie with 94 yards rushing on 15 carries.
“Our defense did a great job the entire game and the offense stayed with the running game,” Pine Prairie head coach Yves Prince said after the game. “We stayed focus all night and it paid off in the fourth quarter.”
The defense stopped Bunkie five times inside the Pine Prairie 20 yard line. The only points scored by Bunkie was on a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter.
“Again the defense stayed focus and made key stops,” Prince added. “The defense was tired but they didn’t give up all night. In fact the entire team didn’t give up the entire game and gave themselves a chance to win the game.”
Prince kept telling his team to keep fighting and he wanted to give his team a chance to win. He felt the coaching staff did their part and the players made the big plays.
It was the right recipe for history for the Pine Prairie Panthers.