Centerville holds off Delcambre

Published 1:00 am Sunday, September 16, 2018

DELCAMBRE — In a game that saw both defenses struggle to contain the opposing offense, it turned out to be a defensive play that was the difference.

After turning the ball over on a fumble with just over three minutes remaining to play, Centerville’s defense came up with a Delcambre fumble and was able to run out the clock to preserve the Bulldogs 22-16 non-district win over the Panthers to stay unbeaten on the season.

“Marc (Delcambre head football coach Marc Broussard) and I were talking about it and if you take a way the turnovers from last season, you’re talking about a 28-28 football game,” Centerville coach Mark Millet said. “Look at the game tonight, there were major turnovers on both sides, converted by both sides.

“Turnovers were the difference again tonight.”

In a game where both offenses were statistically even (both teams had 280 total yards of offense) it was a pair of late turnovers that proved to be the difference in the Bulldogs’ win.

Centerville led 22-16 and had possession of the ball trying to run out the clock in the fourth quarter before a fumble recovered by Delcambre on the Centerville side of the field gave the Panthers a shot at pulling out a late win.

But DHS returned the gift with a fumble of its own just five plays later, giving the Bulldogs possession of the ball again, and this time a long run by Morty Frederick gave CHS a first down and allowed the ’Dogs to run out the clock. Centerville improved to 3-0 heading into its final non-district game of the season Friday at Ecole Classique.

“Coach Millet and I talked several times during the week and we both agreed that we were evenly matched and that it was going to come down to a one score game and it did tonight and unfortunately we came up on the short end,” Broussard said.

The Panthers (1-2) have now lost twice after opening the season with a win against South Cameron. Delcambre opens District 7-2A play Thursday at Ascension Episcopal.

It was a game of runs, literally, as Andrew Cuvillier opened the scoring for Centerville with a six-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Delcambre responded with a six-yard scoring run from quarterback Colt  Dooley in the second quarter and Dooley also ran in the 2-point conversion for an 8-6 lead.

Centerville came back with a touchdown pass from Braden Gaspard to Jaylon Cooks to give the Bulldogs a 14-8 lead at the break.

CHS went up 22-8 in the third quarter on a touchdown run from Cooks but Delcambre came right back in the fourth quarter as Dooley’s second touchdown run and 2-point conversion brought the Panthers back to 22-16. DHS could get no closer the rest of the way.

“We did move the ball offensively and we had a chance to go into halftime tied but we came out in the second half and fumbled the ball and they took the ball and scored,” Broussard said. “That just can’t happen.”

But it did happen as two Delcambre turnovers led to a Centerville touchdown and the Bulldogs’ final possession. Two Centerville fumbles led to one Delcambre touchdown but another DHS fumble as well.

The loss negated a big night for DHS quarterback Colt Dooley. The senior rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns and added 42 yards in the air as well.

“The offensive line did a decent job up front and the running back did a decent job and Dooley had great vision and knew when to stick it and knew when to cut it back and did a great job of running the football,” Broussard said.

But it wasn’t quite enough. Centerville’s Andrew Cuvillier rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown, Frederick added 108 yards and Cooks had a touchdown rushing and receiving.

“It was hard running out there,” Cuvillier said. “We fought hard and they had a good team but it felt good getting the win.

“To be honest, I gave up too much on defense tonight,” Cooks said. “But in the second half we came back harder and stronger and put the points on the scoreboard.”

“It was a tough, hard dought game on both sides,” Millet said. “We just happen to come out on top tonight.”