Breaux Bridge rally sinks SM

St. Martinville – After falling behind 13-0 early in the game and trailing 13-5 at intermission, the Breaux Bridge Tigers took control in the second half and used a 70-yard pass from junior quarterback Julian Leon to senior flanker Blake Hebert to break a fourth quarter deadlock and pull out a 26-19 victory.
It was a much needed win for the visiting Tigers (2-4, 1-0) who had dropped to 1-4 coming into the contest and vaulted The Bridge to the top of the heap in the first round of the District 5-4A campaign.
And it was a bitter loss for The ’Ville (3-3, 0-1) that put their playoff hopes in jeopardy early in the second half of the season.
St. Martinville struck for two quick touchdowns early in the game. The first came on a 10-yard run by Nakavin Batiste that was set up when SM’s Dyllan Derouselle intercepted sophomore QB Cole Mouton just inside BB territory. Deantre James ripped off a 33-yard run and Batiste finished off the two-play drive.
After forcing a short BB punt, the hosting Tigers went 48 yards in five plays for their second score. Sophomore quarterback Markavon Williams took it in from 13 yards out but Dylan Wilmore’s PAT kick was wide, leaving the score at 13-0.
Breaux Bridge got on the board on the first play of the second quarter when SM had to punt from its own three. A bad snap resulted in kicker Dylan Wilmore being tackled in the end zone for a safety.
The ensuing kickoff was a line drive and Breaux Bridge had good field position at the SM 38. Logan Bossier, who would finish with 103 yards on 28 carries, picked up 17 but the Tigers appeared stalled at the SM 22. Then The ’Ville drew a pass interference penalty that gave The Bridge a first down at the 12. The SM defense stiffened and the visitors had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Bailey Thibodeaux that left BB trailing 13-5 early in the second stanza.
James returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the BB 20, but the Tigers were stopped on 4th-and-4 at the 14.
St. Martinville was again frustrated when Breaux Bridge was forced to punt and Dylan Doucet returned the kick 65 yards for a touchdown only to have the score wiped out by a holding penalty.
The ’Ville managed to drive to the BB seven in the final minute of the half but a 22-yard field goal attempt by Wilmore was blocked and the score remained 13-5 at intermission.

Things quickly went downhill for the hosting Tigers when James fumbled on the first play of the second half, setting BB up at the SM 22. Two plays later Leon, who had replaced Mouton late in the first quarter, found Tyrick Davis open in the end zone for a 7-yard TD. The 2-point conversion pass failed and The Bridge trailed 13-11.
St. Martinville struck back midway through the period when Batiste turned a 3rd-and-one play into a 72-yard TD burst. The PAT kick was blocked but SM had stretched its lead to 19-11.
But an exchange of turnovers late in the period put Breaux Bridge into good field position.
First SM’s Trevon Goings intercepted Leon near midfield. But James lost the ball on the very next play at the SM 37.
Noah Frederick got Breaux Bridge moving with a 29-yard run to the SM 10 and three plays later Bossier bulled in from the one for the TD. Davis made a diving catch for the conversion to knot the score at 19-all.
St. Martinville missed a chance to pull ahead when Wilmore shanked a 30-yard field goal attempt to the right early in the final stanza.
After an exchange of punts Breaux Bridge had the ball at its 26 with 3:33 remaining. Two plays later Hebert got behind the SM secondary and Leon lofted a perfect strike that was good for the game-winning TD.
St. Martinville tried to battle back, with Williams completing a 4th-down pass to James for 28 yards and a first down at the BB 38. But a holding penalty set the Tigers back. Williams got loose for 19 yards but he was stopped one yard short of the first down marker. The BB defense dug in and stopped Williams inches short on his 4th down sprint to seal the victory.
Breaux Bridge used a balanced attack to finish with 279 yards, getting 155 on the ground and 124 through the air.
After relieving Mouton, who was 1-for-5 with an interception, Leon finished with eight completions on 19 throws with two interceptions.
Travien Benjamin led St. Martinville with 105 yards on 16 totes. Williams, in his second start filling in for senior Jared Davis, was shaky through the air, completing just 3-of-13 attempts for 40 yards. He accounted for 64 yards rushing on 14 keepers.
Breaux Bridge will try to extend its District 5-4A winning streak when it celebrates homecoming Friday against Abbeville (0-1, 1-5) while St. Martinville visits Comeaux (4-2) in a non-district contest.