Bulldogs roll over Warriors

After a second quarter, the Ville Platte Bulldogs went beast-mode in the fourth quarter Friday night, exploding for three touchdowns in one minute to cruise to a 42-12 win over their old rivals, the Oakdale Warriors.

After an open date last week, Ville Platte improves to 2-1 on the season. The Dogs will travel to LaPlace to face the St. Charles Catholic Comets next Friday in the last non-district tilt of the season.

Oakdale falls to 1-3 on the year. The Warriors will host DeQuincy next week.

Although the Bulldogs appeared to be in control from the beginning of the game, taking a 6-0 lead less than five minutes in. But as the first quarter progressed Oakdale began to assert itself, forcing a Bulldog defensive stand inside the 20-yard line that killed a Warrior scoring drive.

During the second quarter, Ville Platte’s grip on the game was further called into question by a successful short passing attack by the Warriors. The Warriors scored just before intermission to cut the Dogs’ lead to 22-12.

Heading into the third quarter, the question was: How would the Bulldogs respond?

The answer wasn’t a change of tactics or players. The answer, as Ville Platte head coach Tracey Jagneaux said, was “to stop playing tentatively.”

“We were making the right calls, and putting ourselves in the right position in the first half,” Jagneaux said. “We just failed to be aggressive, to make the plays that we should have been making.

“We had to stop waiting for the game to come to us,” he explained. “We had to be the ones to take the initiative.”

That mental adjustment made all the difference in the second half. Right away, to start the third quarter, there was a new tenacity in the Bulldog play.

The offensive linemen began opening up bigger holes; running back Jermarcus Jones lowered his shoulders and took on tacklers; the defensive line clogged up holes and put pressure on the quarterback; and defensive backs were angled off open receivers.

Although Ville Platte didn’t score any points in the third quarter, the tone and momentum of the game had visibly shifted to the Bulldogs.

“We didn’t panic,” Jagneaux said. “We stuck with our running game in the third quarter. We knew that if we consistently leaned on them, we would wear them out eventually.”

The evidence is on the stat sheet: Jones picked up 75 of his 124 yard total in the second half, scoring two rushing touchdowns in the process.

Meanwhile, defensively the results were just as impressive. After giving up 166 yards passing in the second quarter alone, Ville Platte practically shut down the Warrior aerial attack.

In the second half, Oakdale managed just 60 yards in the air (50 of it on a single play); and cornerback Tyler Thomas intercepted two passes, including a 30-yard Pick-Six that sealed the deal.

“We had a really bad second quarter,” Jagneaux admitted. “We tried blitzing, but it resulted in some missed assignments. And when you play man-to-man on the blitz, a missed assignment will get you burned.

“We’ve got a young secondary, and it’s taking them some time to jell and to learn to make adjustments,” he added. “But, they’re smart and learning fast.”

Ville Platte opened up the scoring on its second possession. Jaquine Anderson took a swing pass from Isaiah Thomas in the left flat, made a corner back miss a tackle, and scampered 70 yards for the touchdown. The extra point failed, but the Bulldogs led, 6-0.

On the next possession, Oakdale threatened to score, too. However, the Dog defense held up inside its red zone, forcing the Warriors to turn over the ball on downs.

Oakdale did manage to tie up the game early in the second quarter, completing a 71-yard drive on the arm of quarterback Mason Jordan. Jordan nipped at the Bulldog defense on short slants and quick inside passes. 

The drive culminated with an 11-yard Curley Blount scoring catch. Oakdale also missed the point-after-try, tying the game at six apiece.

Ville Platte struck back, scoring two quick touchdowns.

With four minutes left in the half, Jones broke off a 41-yard touchdown run. Thomas hit Anderson again, this time for the two-point conversion.

Then on Oakdale’s next possession, the Bulldog defense came through again, forcing a fumble. Brent Tezeno “scooped-and-scored” on a 35-yard return. Jones made the two-point conversion, and Ville Platte led 22-6.

However, Oakdale still looked dangerous.

The Warriors nearly scored on its next drive on a long pass play. Senior defensive back Darrien Anderson knocked down the pass saving a touchdown.

Then Oakdale got a defensive break, intercepting a pass with 1:30 left to play in the second quarter.

The Warriors went 75 yards in one minute to cut the lead. On the drive, Jordan was three-for-three for 55 yards, including a touchdown to Clay Doyle. The two-point conversion failed, but Oakdale was within striking distance.

Coming back on the field after halftime, Ville Platte was noticeably more energetic. The Bulldogs began pounding the ball on the ground in the third quarter, eating up yards and time of possession.

By the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs clearly owned the line of scrimmage, especially on the defensive side. Oakdale couldn’t make the quick passes anymore because of a strong blitz and good coverage in the secondary.

In the fourth quarter, the work finally paid off, as Jones capped a 61-yard drive with a five-yard score. Fontenot, who doubles as the place kicker, nailed the extra point, and Ville Platte led 29-12, with six-and-a-half minutes left to play.

Oakdale, sensing that time was running out, immediately returned to the air on its next drive. Fontenot, however, played it perfectly, baiting Jordan into the throw. He jumped the route, intercepted the pass, and returned it 25 yards.

Two plays later, Jones added his third touchdown on a five-yard run. The PAT failed, but the Dogs led 35-12.

Amazingly, Oakdale came right back with the same call two plays later. And Fontenot was ready once again. This time, he took the interception the full 30 yards to score himself. Then, Fontenot kicked the extra point, putting Ville Platte up 42-12.

Jones finished the evening with three touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry. The senior tailback now has 391 yards through three games this season.

Thomas, the senior signal caller, passed for 214 yards and a score. He stands at 598 yards passing already this season.

Anderson caught five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.