A dramatic second-half comeback just wasn’t in the cards for Jeanerette as the Tigers were trounced from the Non-Select Division IV playoffs by No. 12 seed General Trass (8-4) on Friday. 

“I’m lost for words,” said Jeanerette head coach Clifford Paul after the loss. “We came back and made it a game, but it shouldn’t have gotten to that point. Our young kids were learning as the game went on and we are definitely going to learn from this.” 

The Tigers’ problems began early in the game. After scoring just three and a half minutes into the first quarter from a short rush by Desean Tolbert, Jeanerette gave up the equalizer and a botched punt gave the Panthers excellent field position. General Trass scored their second of the night to begin the second quarter, adding two more rushing TDs courtesy of senior Anton Davis while also hauling in three interceptions in the first 24 minutes of the game. 

Trailing 36-8 entering the second half, it was clear that the Tigers needed to change if they were to stand a chase at making a comeback. 

“We needed to start being more assertive and aggressive to start making plays instead of expecting other people to do it,” Paul explained. 

Abandoning the run-first offense, Jeanerette began to spread the ball around through the air and pick up repeated first downs to move the ball downfield. A 60-yard touchdown pass from senior QB Zyon Colar to Morris Walters put a bit of life back into the home crowd, followed by a recovered inside kick and a quick passing TD to Kobe Gage. 

As the fourth quarter began, the Tigers’ defense also started to control the game. With just under four minutes remaining in the game, Jeanerette scored again through the air to Dominick Lewis. A forced fumble by the JSHS defense returned the ball to the Tigers with 2:39 remaining in the game, but another unsuccessful two-point conversion left Jeanerette trailing 36-34 with less than two minutes remaining. 

After forcing a turnover on downs, the Tigers had 26 seconds left in the game to take the lead. With a field goal being out of the question, Jeanerette began to march downfield towards the endzone. A quick pass to sophomore RB Devine Duhon gave the Tigers one last shot from the General Trass 29-yard line, but time elapsed as the team scrambled back to the line to get off a final snap. 

The loss ended another successful season for the Tigers, who finished the regular season with a 7-2 record and entered the postseason as the No. 4 seed. Last year, Jeanerette earned a spot in the Non-Select Division IV quarterfinals with an 8-2 record and wins over No. 28 seed West St. John (12-6) and No. 12 seed East Feliciana (28-20). 

While the manner in which they lost the game will be difficult for the team to accept, Paul said there are still positives to reflect on.

“We fought enough to get to this point and that’s a sign that our program is getting better and changing,” he explained. “The only thing we can do is continue to get better.”