The losing streak has come to an end.
With Friday’s 42-20 victory over District 5-2A opponent DeQuincy, Kinder snapped a six-game losing streak and kept its playoff hopes alive.
“It definitely felt good to snap the losing streak,” longtime Kinder coach Bret Fuselier said. “I was happy for the kids. They’ve been working hard and it finally paid off. We beat a very good DeQuincy team.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams traded a pair of touchdown drives in the second quarter.
Kinder (2-6, 1-2) scored first with a seven-yard touchdown run by Luke LeBoeuf but the two-point run was no good. DeQuincy answered with a 28-yard touchdown run by Reese Ashworth but the extra point attempt failed.
Kinder’s Graham Fawcett reclaimed the lead for the Yellow Jackets with a 11-yard touchdown run. The two-point run failed.
DeQuincy’s Taije Ceasar hauled in a seven-yard pass from Ashworth with less than a minute before halftime but the extra point failed again.
At the break, the two teams were tied 12-12.
Kinder seized control in the third quarter.
The Yellow Jackets received the opening kickoff and went on a 16-play drive which featured not one but two fourth-down conversions. The drive was capped with a 15-yard touchdown run by Fawcett. The two-point run by James Roberts was successful.
“After that touchdown we forced a three and out,” Fuselier said. “That kind of started things going as far as us taking control of the game.”
That touchdown drive was followed by another which was capped with a seven-yard touchdown run by Fawcett and two-point run by Davion Matthews.
DeQuincy (4-4, 2-1) scored in the fourth on a 55-yard pass from Ashworth to Ceasar. Kinder finished off the game with a fourth-quarter score of its own, a four-yard touchdown run by Roberts.
“We showed some resiliency by answering that score and kind of took away any hope DeQuincy had of mounting a comeback,” Fuselier said. “I told our kids before the game we would have to prove that we wanted to win it more than DeQuincy and they definitely proved that.”
Lebeof led all rushers with 135 yards while Roberts added 97 yards on eight carries and Fawcett added 91 yards on nine carries.
Kinder will now focus on finishing the regular season strong.
The victory over DeQuincy, which was ranked No. 14 in last week’s LHSAA Class 2A power rankings, definitely helps Kinder’s chances of earning a playoff berth. The Yellow Jackets entered last week ranked No. 36, four spots out of a playoff berth.
Fuselier isn’t focused on the postseason as the veteran coach is just making sure his Yellow Jackets are focused on beating Pickering this Thursday.
“We played with an energy about us that we had not done all year,” Fuselier said about the DeQuincy victory. “It will take that same energy and effort for us in these last two games to have a chance to win those ballgames.”
Hamilton
Christian 63, Elton 8
Hamilton Christian raced out to a 43-0 halftime lead and never looked back in a 55-point victory over Elton.
Hamilton Christian’s Elijah Belton got things going by scoring on a 52-yard punt return and that was followed by a one-yard touchdown run by Ze’beian Duffney. Hamilton then recorded a safety and Doffney scored again, this time from nine yards out to make it 22-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Elton (0-8, 0-5) gave up two long touchdowns in the second with a 60-yard touchdown run by Logan Richard and a 43-yard touchdown run by Devante Coffee.
Hamilton Christian (5-2, 4-1) led 46-0 at the break.
Elton did manage to finally score in the fourth quarter as Tristan Leblanc found the end zone on a 17-yard run. Derek Ross caught the two-point pass from Anthony Gaspard.
Elton was led on the ground by Leblanc who had 52 yards on six carries. Ross completed 1-of-7 passes for 12 yards and two interceptions.
Elton will play its final home game of the season when it hosts District 4-1A foe Grand Lake on Friday.
Oberlin 63, East Beauregard 40
The East Beauregard (DeRidder) varsity football team lost Friday’s home conference game against Oberlin by a score of 63-40.
Oberlin’s Colby McMahon and Dominique Eaves both scored three TDs for 18 points each. Seth Lyons, Derrick Deville and Desean Deville, each added 6 to the board with a touchdown while Dominique Eaves scored 3 points.
Both Noah Carter and Jordyn Artis added 2, each with a conversion. Deville also added the extra points with five kicks in the game.
Derrick Deville and Keondre Lavan recovered a fumble and Josh Ceasar recovered two fumbles for the Tigers.
Next week, Oberlin faces the Merryville Panthers in a District 4-1A game.