Bayou bandits

BASILE -- Having everyone healthy once again, the Basile Bearcats used explosive play after explosive play to roll past the Elton Indians 49-20 in the Battle of the Bayou here Friday night.
With the win, the Bearcats improve to 5-2 on the season and 3-1 in district play. Basile will travel to Oberlin this Friday night to take on the Tigers in another league match-up.
In the game, Basile racked up 366 yards of total offense. Within that total yardage, the Bearcats had five plays of 30 or more yards.
After the game, when asked if he thought his team would have the number of big plays they did, Basile head coach Kevin Bertrand answered rather confidently.
“I really kind of thought that we were capable of being able to produce those type of plays,” stated Bertrand. “I knew coming into the game, we wanted to start with a big play, and we did that on the first play of the game. As the game moved on, we saw some things that they were giving us and we were able to take advantage of that.”
That first play, a 45 yard pass from Dawson Ashford to Jaylen Thomas, would set the tone for the rest of the night. In fact that would be the only pass play needed the entire night.
After the Thomas catch, a catch that went down to the Elton eight-yard line, the Bearcats needed just two more plays to put up the first points of the night.
On second and goal from the three-yard line, Ashford kept the ball over left guard for the score. A botched snap on the extra point resulted in a failed two-point conversion. However, Basile took a 6-0 lead with only 50 seconds gone off of the clock.
Forcing the Indians to punt on their first possession of the game, Basile got the ball back at the Elton 34-yard line. On the very first play from scrimmage, running back Andre Reed sprinted untouched off of right tackle to the end zone for the touchdown.
Logan David slipped around the left end for the two-point conversion and the Bearcats extended their lead to 14-0 with 9:02 to go in the first quarter.
Not wanting to let the game get away from them, the Indians mounted a sustained drive on their next possession. Elton, starting at their 17-yard line, marched 83 yards on eight plays, capping off the drive with a 34 yard pitch and catch from Dylan Fontenot to Kervondrick Scott.
The two-point pass was no good and with 5:47 left in the opening period, the Indians had cut the lead down to 14-6.
Basile, however, did not flinch with the Elton touchdown. On the very next offensive series, Reed hit the Indians with the third big play of the night, a 63 yard run on second down and eight. After being tackled at the Elton nine-yard line, the Bearcats needed just two more plays to add to their lead.
On third and goal, Reed barrelled his way over right guard for a four yard touchdown run to extend the Basile lead. Mlingo was true with the extra point and the Bearcats now held a 21-6 lead with 3:13 to go in the first quarter.
Elton began their next drive at their 20-yard line after the touchback on the ensuing kickoff. The Indians were able to pick up an initial first down up to the 36-yard line.
Two false start penalties pushed the Indians back to the 26-yard line, where an errant handoff would hit the turf. Basile fell on the ball and had excellent field position once again at the Indian 31-yard line.
A carry of 15 yards by Isaiah Ceasar was followed by a 12 yard gain on second down by Reed. Holing the ball at the four yard line, Ashford bootlegged around the left side on the first play of the second quarter and out raced the Elton defense to the pylon for the score. The extra point was good by Mlingo, giving the Bearcats a 28-6 lead with 11:55 left in the second quarter.
Basile wasted no time getting back on the scoreboard, picking up another touchdown a mere 2:04 later. Pinning down the Indians at their 17-yard line, Basile’s Logan David busted his way through the line on fourth down to tackle Elton punter before he could get the kick off, allowing the Bearcats to get the ball at the Indian 13-yard line.
On the first play following the great special teams play, Ceasar blasted over several Elton defenders on his way to pay dirt. Mlingo tacked on the extra point, extending the Basile lead to 35-6.
The Bearcats got the ball right back, as they forced a three and out on the Indians on the next series. Taking in the punt at their 45-yard line, Basile reached the end zone on the second play from scrimmage when David side stepped several Elton defenders on his way to a 55 yard touchdown gallop.
Mlingo was true once again with the kick and the Bearcats now held a 42-6 lead with 7:16 to go in the second quarter.
The Indians did not fold, even after falling behind by 36 points. With their next offensive possession, Elton drove the ball 48 yards in five plays to get down to the Basile 24-yard line.
On first and ten, Elton’s Jalen Chretien scampered around left tackle for the score. Another failed two-point play put the score at 42-12 in favor of Basile with 3:35 left in the first half.
The Bearcats, as they had done once before, answered the Indian touchdown with a resounding drive of their own. Taking all but two seconds of the remaining time in the half, Basile marched 80 yards in six plays, aided by a 43 yard run by Jay Pitre, to put up the final score of the night.
Pitre, busting his way in from one yard out, put Basile up 48-12. Mlingo added the extra point and the Bearcats headed into the locker room leading 49-12.
When the two teams took the field to begin the third quarter, word came to the press box that both Basile and Elton had agreed to play eight minute running time quarters for the final two periods.
With the Bearcats emptying the bench in the remaining quarters, Elton was able to put up one more score, a 15 yard pass from Fontenot to Scott.
Reed finished the night with 115 yards on five carries and two touchdowns. David added 79 yards on five touches and one touchdown.