Box Score

The Louisiana College Wildcats started a bit slow in the first half against Belhaven on Saturday night at Wildcat Field and found themselves trailing at the end of the first half to tht 1-5 Blazers, 20-14.  LC used a 21-point third quarter to take control of the game and end the night with a 52-30 home victory.  The Wildcats will play their final home game of the season next Saturday as they host rival East Texas Baptist on Senior Night, Homecoming, and the annual Battle for the Border Claw.

The LC defense started off strong when Lecorey Demease made a tremendous over the shoulder interception in the end zone on the Blazers first possession. The Wildcats were unable to capitalize on the turnover on their first drive of the game, but on their second possession it took just three plays for the Wildcats to find the end zone when Easton Melancon hit Farron Jones for an 83-yard touchdown and a 7-0 LC lead.

Belhaven answered quickly on their ensuing possession with a 70-yard touchdown pass to tie the game, just 29 seconds after the Wildcats took the lead.  After a missed Wildcat field goal on their next drive, Belhaven took the ball 80-yards in 12 plays that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass that gave Belhaven a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.  It looked as if the Wildcats would answer the score immediately as Lamar Carroway raced down the field and into the end zone on the kickoff but a penalty negated the score.

The Wildcats were able to tie the game with just over three minutes to go in the half on a 9-yard slant pass to Cole Crook in the end zone, his first touchdown of the season. The touchdown was setup by an interception by defensive end Cade Maxwell. Belhaven, however regained some momentum just as the half expired as quarterback Hunter McEachern scrambled around and found his receiver in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, and the Balzers took a 20-14 lead into the half after the missed extra point.

LC, which showed much more rhythm and pace in the game, came out quick in the second half when Melancon hit Lawrence Williams on a quick pass that went all the way to the Belhaven one yard line on the first play of the third quarter.  Aurren Cooksey would punch it in on the next play and the Wildcats would take a 21-20 lead just seconds into the half.  The Wildcats continued to roll scoring touchdowns on their next two drives, a one-yard quarterback dive by Easton Melancon, and a 15-yard touchdown catch by Nick Julien on a swing route out of the back field.

With a 35-23 lead entering the fourth quarter, LC kept the pressure on the Blazers defense as D'Ondre Joseph scored from 2-yards out on a seven play drive and then a 40-yard field goal by Charles Firmin with 5:48 left in the game to give LC a 45-23 lead.  Both teams would add another touchdown before the end of the game, Belhaven on a 24-yard pass and the Wildcats on a 2-yard end around run by Jonathan Dixon.

Quarterback Easton Melancon finished the game 16 of 32 passing for 266 yards with three passing touchdowns and a rushing score.  Aurren Cooksey led all rushers with 136 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.  Melancon distributed the ball to seven different receivers in the game with Farron Jones leading the Wildcats with 98 yards on three catches and a touchdown.

The defense shined throughout the majority of the game, with five interceptions, Doriel Yeager had an outstanding game with two interceptions and nine tackles and Ryan DeMattie and Rawlin Gullory both had double digit tackles with 14 and 10 respectively.

The Wildcats will host ETBU in their final home game of the season next Saturday in the "Battle for the Border Claw".  The game will also be the 2016 homecoming game and senior night for the class of 2017.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6pm at Wildcat Field on the final Saturday of October.