BY JACOB BECK | Contributing writer
NOV 27, 2020 - 10:40 PMT
The No. 5-seeded Southern Lab Kittens used big plays on offense and forced four fumbles on a soggy night in A.W. Mumford Stadium to defeat No. 12-seeded Opelousas Catholic Vikings 34-14 in the first round of the Division IV select playoffs.
The Kittens imposed their will in the second half, using a bruising rushing attack to set up the play-action pass. Southern Lab junior quarterback Angelo Izzard completed 4 of 7 passes for 132 yards and three TDs, adding 44 yards on the ground.
Senior running back Lutrell Pruitt had 14 carries for 84 yards and one TD along with two catches for 101 yards and two TDs. Opelousas Catholic senior quarterback Drake Guidry was 12 of 31 for 115 yards and one TD. Senior receiver Keon Coleman had four catches for 41 yards and one TD.
The Kittens (4-3) got off to a hot start on offense in the first quarter with junior running back Shawn Bates breaking a run to the right sideline and speeding past the Vikings defensive backs for a 76-yard score to tie the score at 7-7 with 8:12 to go in the first quarter. Southern Lab struck again quickly as Izzard hit sophomore receiver Carl Williams streaking down the middle of the field for a 31-yard TD pass.
The Vikings (3-4) struggled protecting the middle of the field throughout the game, as Izzard would later find Pruitt on TD passes of 68 and 31 yards, both on routes running down the seam.
Southern Lab got the 68-yard TD pass with 2:32 to go in the third quarter and forced an Opelousas Catholic fumble on their ensuing drive, returning it all the way to the 2-yard line where Pruitt punched it in to give the Kittens a 27-7 lead and sealing the victory.
After scoring on their first drive in the game, the Vikings struggled to find a rhythm on offense, in large part because of drops and failing to protect the football in wet conditions.
While he only completed four passes, Izzard protected the ball and came up big when the Kittens needed it most. On multiple drives Izzard scrambled on third down to keep drives alive and was accurate on all of his throws only missing his receivers because of drops. In a game where both teams combined for seven fumbles, Izzard managed the game well and handled multiple high and low snaps from his center on shotgun plays.
The Kittens could’ve put the game far out of reach early had it not been for multiple holding calls that negated big gains on the ground. Southern Lab had runs of 106 total yards called back in the first and second quarters, and the majority of them would’ve put them in the red zone.
The Kittens had 13 penalties for 96 yards, something that the Kittens will need to improve in their next game. Guidry accounted for three of the four fumbles lost by the Vikings, all three coming on sacks.
BY JACOB BECK | Contributing writer
NOV 27, 2020 - 10:40 PM
