Frozen out

HAYNESVILLE -- With temperatures reaching the 32-degree mark, the Basile Bearcats were not only frozen during the course of play but also frozen out of the end zone, as the Haynesville Golden Tornado ousted the Evangeline Parish squad by the final score of 18-0 in the second round of the LHSAA Class 1A playoffs.
With the loss, Basile ended its season with an overall record of 4-3. This marks only the third time in the last 10 seasons that the Bearcats have not advanced to the quarterfinals.
After the game, Basile head coach Kevin Bertrand nostalgically looked back on the game and a season ripe with adversity because of the pandemic.
“I will always be proud of my team no matter what,” stated Bertrand. “They just give everything they have every day. You can tell by the emotions after the game that they laid out everything they had left in them on the field tonight. I told them after the game that in July we did not even know that we would have a season. So, one game will not define this team or the effort they gave.”
At the start of the contest, it looked like Basile would bring back some of the magic that brought them to a 28-27 win in last year’s playoff game against Haynesville. Taking the opening kick-off, the Bearcats put together one of their patented “smash you in the mouth” drives.
Beginning at its 16-yard line, Basile sliced and diced its way down to the Haynesville 23-yard line in 12 straight running plays, and in turn bled over seven minutes on the clock. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, the drive stalled when, on fourth and one, running back Ethan Bazinet was stopped inches short of line to gain.
Haynesville took over possession from its 23 but could not muster any offense to speak of, as the Golden Tornado were forced to punt the ball back to Basile.
The Bearcats took over at their 46-yard line following the punt, giving them great field position to start their second drive.
However, Basile could not repeat its success on its first drive and was forced to kick the ball back to Haynesville.
The Golden Tornado made the Bearcats pay for not moving the ball as Nate Beene fielded the punt at his own 12-yard line and raced 88 yards down the near sideline for the first score of the game. The extra point failed, but the Golden Tornado owned a 6-0 lead with 46 seconds to go in the first quarter.
The rest of the half flew by, with each team holding on the football for elongated drives that ended with no other points scored.
As the teams headed into the locker room, Haynesville held on to a slim six-point lead.
The Golden Tornado received the kickoff to begin the second half and returned the ball to the 49-yard line. With renewed energy and fresher legs carrying some of the load, Haynesville moved the ball down to the Bearcat three-yard line in eight plays.
On first and goal from the Basile three, running back Jontavion Brown ploughed his way over the goal line, giving the Golden Tornado a two touchdown lead. The two-point run failed, and, with 6:43 to go in the third quarter, Haynesville held a 12-0 advantage.
Despite their success in moving the ball in the first half, the Bearcats found it tough sledding on offense in the final two quarters. In four possessions over the course of the third and fourth quarters, Basile could only manage to enter Golden Tornado territory one time.
Haynesville’s final score of the game came early in the final quarter of play with a drive that began at the mid-field stripe late in the third quarter. In that possession, the Golden Tornado marched 50 yards in seven plays, capping off the drive with a 31-yard touchdown run from Kedrick Grider at the 11:50 mark of the period.
For Basile, the loss means that eight seniors end their remarkable career. In the post-game interview, Bertrand talked about the leadership of the Bearcat upperclassmen.
“I was thinking about these seniors as I was talking to the team after the game,” said Bertrand. “It has been great to see them come in as puppies not knowing anything and then see them take ownership of the team and lead by example every day. That right there justifies what we do as coaches. They are young men now and will be missed by the coaches, the players and the fans.”