Thanks to an impressive defensive performance, the Westgate Tigers are headed back to the quarterfinals for the second time in three years.

And for the second time in three years, they will make a long trip up North for a shot to get to the semifinals.

The fifth-seeded Tigers had two interceptions, three pass break-ups, four quarterback sacks, three quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries as Westgate put the clamps on No. 12 seed Leesville and came away with the 16-7 win to improve to 10-2 on the year.

With the win, WHS travels to Shreveport Friday and will take on No. 4 seed Northwood in the quarterfinals with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

“Thanksgiving football. There’s nothing else that this team wants to do right now. They’re not ready to go home,” Westgate coach Ryan Antoine said after his Tigers held a Leesville team that was averaging more than 40 points per game this season to a single touchdown, and that one came off of a WHS mistake.

“We fumbled the ball deep on our end of the field and they had, what, 10 yards to go to score,” Antoine said. “If we don’t fumble the ball, there’s a very good chance that we shut them out in the game.”

WHS senior Bradley Lewis summed up exactly what the Westgate defense felt and what they were trying to do in going against the Wampus Cats.

“We play for each other, we play for our brothers on the field and we play with something to prove,” Lewis, who finished with two sacks on the night, said. “We didn’t do anything different, we didn’t do anything special, we just played at our high level and we showed that we belong.”

A pair of long touchdown runs from Jordan Doucet (56 yards) and Derrick Williams (48 yards) and a field goal were all the offense the Tigers needed.

Westgate rushed for more than 250 yards in the win, thanks to a punishing offensive line that was looking for some respect.

“If you want to win a second- and third-round playoff game, you have to play great defense,” Antoine said. “I’m so proud of our guys for playing great defense but hats off to our offensive line.

“Our guys were able to go out tonight and run the football. Leesville took our passing game away and the offensive line said quit trying to throw the ball and get behind us and let’s go.”

Ryan kept praising the offensive line for their efforts against Leesville.

“The offensive line has been working their tails off all year,” Antoine said. “A lot of times they don’t get the credit that the flash-and-dash guys of Jordan (Doucet), Danny (Lewis), Dedrick (Latulas) and those guys do.

“Our lineman have been wanting their credit all year. We’re nothing without them. To be able to run the football like we do is an added element to go further.”

And now the Tigers are in the quarterfinals.

“We always preach leave it better than you found it,” Antoine said. “Last year, we went to the second round. This year we made it back to the quarterfinals. Now we have to go one further and get to the semifinals.”