Pine Prairie loses last chance for playoffs with loss to Crowley; completes year with three wins

PINE PRAIRIE -- A last chance at a playoff spot once again alluded the Pine Prairie Panthers, as they fell to the Crowley Gents 36-6 in a key district contest Friday night.
The loss put the Panthers at 3-7 for the season and ends any hope that they might get in the post-season for the first time in school history.
Pine Prairie looked as if they were not going to go down without a fight, picking up the first touchdown of the game on a four yard touchdown run by JJ Sims. The score followed a 70-yard punt return by Sims that put the Panthers on the doorstep of the Crowley goal line.
The extra point was no good, but Pine Prairie owned a 6-0 lead with 9:43 to go in the first quarter.
The Gents did not let that lead last for very long. On the ensuing possession, Crowley drove down the field and capped off their drive with a four yard run by Obadiah Butler.
The extra point was good off of the foot of Rapheus Joseph, giving Crowley a 7-6 lead with 7:19 left to go in the opening period.
The Gents added to their lead later in the quarter, when Joseph hauled in a 37 yard pass from Marquis Garrett. Joseph tacked on the extra point, putting Crowley up 14-6 with 2:14 left in the first quarter.
Two more strikes from Butler to Garrett in the second quarter compounded the Gent advantage. The first was a five yard pass and the second went for 21-yards. Both times Joseph was true on the try after, giving the Gents a commanding 28-6 lead after three quarters of play.
The final score of the game came on a 10 yard touchdown connection between Garrett and Demarcus Doiron.
Sims was held to 45 yards on 11 carries in the game. The senior running back finished the year with 1,159 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.