Winnfield rushes past Mamou to end year

By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor WINNFIELD — The long trip to Winnfield to play its first playoff game in over a decade began bright and early for the Mamou Green Demons. Rightfully so. The town, excited for the accomplishment, had a full send-off, decorated locker rooms and chatter around the program for its accomplishment. That said, all the excitement couldn’t prepare Mamou for what was next. No. 6-seeded Winnfield racked up 374 rushing yards and scored all of its points in the first half on the way to a 28-0 defeat of No. 27 Mamou in the opening round of the Division III non-select football playoffs Friday night. Despite winning the turnover battle against Winnfield, the Green Demons struggled mightily in getting its offense up-and-running. That attack, led all season by senior do-it-all playmaker Devin Ardoin and sophomore quarterback Dezmond Bradley, managed only 112 total yards and lost three turnovers against Winnfield. Mamou’s running attack, buoyed by some electric Ardoin performances in the second half of the regular season, managed only 33 yards on 29 carries. The Green Demons’ offensive misfires were exacerbated by a quarterback change. Junior Caden LeJeune played the position and struggled, going 4-of-12 through the air for 79 passing yards. He did manage to connect with Ardoin with regularity. Ardoin finished with three catches for 78 yards, the longest being a 55-yard reception. Winnfield struck for its first touchdown with 5:23 left in the opening quarter. That 49-yard rushing touchdown, coupled with the two-point conversion gave the Tigers an 8-0 lead. Winnfield poured it on in the second quarter, scoring three more touchdowns to take the 28-0 lead into the locker room it wouldn’t look back from. Despite giving up the large rushing amount, Mamou did manage to force five Winnfield fumbles over the course of the game in the sloppy conditions. Winnfield’s win will have them hosting No. 11 Patterson next week in a battle of contrasting styles. Patterson, which features one of the state’s most prolific passing attacks, defeated Port Allen 44-28 to advance.