WSM rallies on JHS mistakes for big win

Published 10:58 pm Saturday, October 13, 2018

JEANERETTE — Things didn’t look too good at halftime for West St. Mary Friday evening at Jeanerette.

The Wolfpack wasn’t playing poorly on defense, as JSH held only an 8-0 lead, but the visitors weren’t having much success moving the football.

WSM did advance into the red zone on two drives in the second quarter, but the Wolfpack went into the locker room with only 48 yards of total offense.

The JHS defense registered 11 tackles for loss in the first half, catching WSM quarterback Taylun Druilhet behind the line eight times.

The third quarter opened in similar fashion, as the Wolfpack was forced to punt after notching one first down.

Jeanerette, however, put itself in a hole after taking over the ball at its own 15-yard line.

A penalty and an 11-yard loss on second down backed up the Tigers at their own 2.

West St. Mary then took advantage of great field position following the punt at the JHS 31-yard line.

After two plays netted one yard, Druilhet lofted a 30-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kobe Phillips with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter.

A successful 2-point conversion pass from Druilhet to Daylon Richard evened the score at 8-8.

“Coach talked to us and said that our offense, as a unit, would have to step up and make plays,” Richard said. “I was getting double-teamed. Overall, we have a lot to work on: offense, defense and special teams.”

Jeanerette coughed up the football near midfield on its ensuing possession, setting up another 30-yard touchdown pass from Druilhet to Phillips on an improbable fourth-and-16.

The 2-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the margin at 14-8.

“It was the same play, a go route, both times,” said Phillips, who caught three passes for 89 yards. “It felt good. I was playing hard for my seniors. 

“The only thing that was running through my mind was that I had to make good plays. All I had to do was what coach asked me to do. I couldn’t do it without my quarterback.”

Druilhet, who was held to 4-of-11 passing for eight yards in the first half, didn’t let the early struggles get him down.

“It started with the coaches,” he said. “They told us we were running the wrong plays. We came back and executed in the second half.

“That’s how we started getting receivers open. The line started blocking better. 

“We have to continue to fight so we can make the playoffs.”

Jeanerette had its final stab at a game-winning drive stymied when the Wolfpack stopped Shonathon Sparrow on fourth-and-eight from the JSH 47-yard line.

“We played smarter in the second half,” WSM head coach Clifton Armelin said. 

“I think we may have come out and taken Jeanerette a little bit for granted, but we know how we’re capable of playing.

“We didn’t make too many adjustments. We just gave them a little pep talk at halftime. We told them that we’re better than this — let’s go out and play ball.”

With Jeanerette focusing attention on Richard (seven receptions, 42 yards), the Wolfpack (2-5, 2-2 District 7-2A) was able to improvise.

“Everybody is trying to double-team Daylon,” Armelin said. “They were double-teaming him, bracketing him, and what they were giving us was the seam route.”

Jeanerette (2-5, 1-3) claimed an 8-0 lead in the second quarter when Sparrow scored on a three-yard run.

Sparrow tackled on the two-point conversion and finished with 19 carries for 91 yards.

WSM was able to limit the senior running back to 23 yards in the second half.

“We knew Sparrow was their main go-to guy,” Armelin said. “They tried in different ways to get him the ball. Wherever he was, we locked a man with him.

“We were able to do a good job containing him and sending blitzes to try and force him inside where we could make the tackle.”