Smash-mouth Friday
No room for finesse when Leesville, Westlake meet
<p class="indent">After a weather-shortened game last week, Leesville head coach Robbie Causey is expecting to get tested for the full 48 minutes Friday night when his Wampus Cats travel to face Westlake.</p><p class="indent">Last year’s game, an 18-14 Leesville win, was the smallest margin of victory in Leesville’s 10-win season. Causey said the game stands out because of its physicality.</p><p class="indent">“It has always been a slugfest when these teams have played, going back to when I first came here in the early 2000s,” he said. “Last year we were lucky enough to win it at the end of the game. They are a formidable team and are well coached. Their backs run hard and they use multiple formations to try to get leverage on you. Their defense is big and quick. It is going to be two guys at the 50-yard line throwing punches. The first one to flinch will be the loser.”</p><p class="indent">Causey said he likes the way his team responded after falling behind early to Washington-Marion in their 38-18 Week 1 win.</p><p class="indent">“We went down 12-0 but we handled the adversity well,” Causey said. “The defense settled down and played well after their first couple of possessions.”</p><p class="indent">Leesville beat South Beauregard last week in a game called after a lengthy lightning delay during the first quarter with the Wampus Cats leading 13-0.</p><p class="indent">Westlake is 1-1 after losing to Crowley last week. The Rams are led by J.J. Ross, who has run for 152 yards and four touchdowns, including 111 yards last week.</p><p class="indent"><strong class="tag TTL">Elsewhere</strong></p><p class="indent">Lake Charles College Prep (2-0) will look to remain undefeated when it travels to Lafayette to face Northside (1-1). The Trail Blazers edged Rayne 17-14 last week, getting a field goal from Edwin Gomez in the final minute. W-M (0-2) suffered a last-minute heartbreak when DeRidder scored a touchdown on the last play of the game to win 45-44. Dragons running back Jalyn Thurman scored the winner on a 13-yard run as time expired.</p><p class="indent">The Dragons (2-0) host Jennings (0-2) this week. Iowa (0-2) will host Sam Houston (2-0). The Broncos have scored 87 points in their two games and were boosted last week with the return of running back/receiver Gerron Duhon, who ran for 69 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 96 yards and another touchdown in a 47-30 win over Cecilia. South Beauregard (0-2) visits neighbor DeQuincy (1-1) while St. Louis (0-2) is at Barbe (2-0).</p>