Leesville Road football
PHOTO BY ROB ORAZI
Senior Brad Moody (5) and the Leesville Road football team fell 36-8 in its 4-AA state playoff match-up with Fayetteville Jack Britt Friday. The Bucs' Eric Johnson (25) rushed for more than 175 yards in the victory.
Jack Britt proves too much for Pride
It's hard to tell what missteps dug the Leesville Road football team a bigger hole in Friday's 36-8 defeat at Fayetteville Jack Britt — the Pride's numerous miscues or the squad's early offensive woes.
Either one alone might have made it difficult to knock off the Buccaneers, the Eastern Region's No.3 seed, but both proved to be deadly in the 4-AA playoff match-up.
And the Pride struggled its worst out of the gate, failing to gain positive yardage on any of its first four possessions. The stagnant attack allowed Jack Britt to build a 19-0 lead before Leesville earned its first first down.
"We made too many mistakes — early on particularly," said Leesville coach David Green. "But they are a very good football team, and they are not where they are by accident."
While the Pride moved backwards, the Buccaneers surged ahead thanks to its running attack, which amassed almost 300 yards. (In comparison, Leesville gained just 15.) Jack Britt running back Eric Johnson led the way, piling up 176 yards and two touchdowns.
Though it was fellow back Robert Pradia who got the Bucs on the scoreboard first, dashing into the end zone from 15 yards out on Jack Britt's second drive. The score was set up by a fumble on Leesville's first possession just outside the Bucs' red zone. It was the first of the Pride's five turnovers.
Click here to see highlight's from the Nov. 20 playoff game.
Two drives later the Bucs added to their lead, moving 47 yards on nine plays, leading to Johnson's first score. Seven times Jack Britt went to Johnson on the possession before he punched it in from seven yards out. Though the Fayetteville squad failed on the extra point attempt.
"We knew they were going to be physical on the line, and they're big," Green said. "They are very tough upfront — strong and quick."
After another Leesville three-and-out, the Bucs built another long drive, going 66 yards on 12 plays, with Julius Ingram scoring on a short dive play.
Following a lengthy holding penalty on the two-point conversion try, Jack Britt attempted a 38-yard PAT, which failed, making the game 19-0 Bucs with 90 seconds remaining before half.
On the ensuing Leesville possession QB Josh Stanley — who subbed in with back-up Austin Berrios throughout the game — nailed Thurston Cox on a 38-yard catch-and-pass, moving the ball to Jack Britt's 32-yard line.
But a holding penalty on a sack forced a first-and-26 from near mid-field, helping extinguish the Pride's momentary momentum. However, Stanley fought valiantly on fourth-down and 11, coming within a foot of the sticks on a QB keeper.
The half ended with Jack Britt up 19-0. But besides the double-digit deficit, the Pride also were without senior LB/RB Dylan Edwards, who was sidelined following a first-half concussion.
Leesville's second half didn't start much better than its first as Kevin Thornton picked off a Berrios pass on the Pride's first possession and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown — though a penalty negated the score.
But one play later Jack Britt back-up Russell Collins — who subbed in for starter Greg Bryant — took a QB keeper 13 yards for a score.
With the PAT, the Bucs led 26-0 with 10:08 to go in the third quarter.
Berrios bounced back leading the Pride on its only scoring drive of the night, covering 79 yards on 14 plays.
Cox and Gordon Martin hauled in three catches apiece on the possession, and Martin made the drive's biggest reception, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown pass on a critical fourth-and-11 play.
PHOTO BY TOMMY KOPETSKIE
Leesville Road receiver Gordon Martin hauled in four catches, including a touchdown, Friday
Stanley stepped in to successfully complete the two-point try, finding Elyas Rashid in the back of the end zone.
The Pride now trailed 26-8 midway through the third.
But Leesville's momentum lasted less than three minutes as Johnson tacked on his second score, rumbling in from 21 yards out.
On its next offensive possession, the Pride were intercepted on its first snap and the Buccaneers turned the miscue into three points as Ryan Nusbaum hit a field goal from 38 yards.
The Pride's next two drives also ended with interceptions, and Jack Britt's 28-point lead stood up.
Afterward, Green credited his squad for playing hard, but pointed out the Pride's miscues and a stellar Jack Britt team were its undoing.
"We moved the ball some in the second half, we just couldn't close it out," he said. "We'd move it, then we'd kill ourselves."
Berrios finished 8 for 15, with 83 yards passing, and Stanley completed 6 for 11 with 79.
Cox hauled in a team-high six receptions for 72 yards, Martin added four catches for 63 and Berrios had two for 18.
Following the defeat, Green praised his senior class, which helped the Pride amass 42 wins in the past four seasons.
"It has been a pleasure coaching these guys," he said. "They are great group. They worked hard. Devoted themselves to becoming the best players they could be. You always want to see them go out with a win, but the way things are set up only one team is going to go out that way.
"They have had a good run. They overcame adversity. They didn't lay down when things went back for them during the latter part of the season."
