De La Salle hangs on, stops LCCP rally in fourth quarter

Published 10:54 am Sunday, September 26, 2021

De La Salle held off a Lake Charles College Prep rally, holding on for a 29-26 nondistrict win Friday night.

The Trailblazers (2-2) rallied from a 15-point deficit to get within one in the fourth quarter but couldn’t get over the hump.

De La Salle (1-1) made it a two-possession game early in the fourth quarter when Cole Milford connected with Jace Bienemy on a 2-point conversion after a 10-yard touchdown run by Patrick Martin.

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Down 29-20, Prep got within three on a 38-yard run by Devonte Guidroz with 3:36 left, but De La Salle iced the game with a 34-yard run by Martin that allowed them to run out the clock.

Prep had crept within 21-20 with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns, a 31-yard run by Trevonte Citizen and 35-yard pass from Josiah Bushnell to Eric Beloney.

“We just made too many mistakes,” Blazers head coach Erick Franklin said. “They converted on third-and-longs. We missed receivers that were running open. They are a good team that has competed for championships the last few years. You can’t make mistakes against a team like that.”

Prep opened the scoring with a 60-yard run down the left sideline by Trevonte Citizen on its second play from scrimmage.

The Cavaliers dominated the rest of the half, holding the Blazers to 34 yards over the remainder of the half. Quarterback Cole Milford and receiver Kentrell Molette connected on touchdown passes of 13 and 37 yards. Patrick Martin scored on a 1-yard run as De La Salle took a 21-6 halftime lead.

The Blazers had key mistakes in the half, including a botched punt snap that set up a short Cavs touchdown drive and an interception that was nullified by a pass interference penalty.

Kevin Thomas made in interception in the Blazers’ end zone and Kendrick Pete made a sack on a fourth-down attempt in Prep territory in the first quarter.

Martin finished with 139 yards to lead the Cavaliers. Citizen had 154 yards on 17 carries for Prep.