1 week Ago
The Kaplan Pirates rolled to a dominating 50-0 victory over North Webster on Friday. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save KAPLAN - The Kaplan Pirates scored two touchdowns before 25th-seeded North Webster ran a play in Friday's Division III nonselect bi-district playoff game. It was that type of night for the Knights from Springhill in north Louisiana, who fumbled away two kicks and had a punt blocked in a 50-0 loss to the eighth-seeded Pirates that saw a running clock with more than five minutes left in the first half.
"We put it on them," Pirates coach Stephen "Tank" Lotief said. "We beat them everywhere. We beat them with execution.
We beat them with fundamentals. We never let them get going." The Pirates (8-2) got the first of three first-half rushing touchdowns from wingback Daylon Landry on their opening possession.
Landry, who rushed for 142 yards on 13 carries, scored from 26, 17 and 9 yards. Javonte' Mouton recovered a forced fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Knights 14. Wyatt Hebert, who also had a first-half TD run, carried five yards and Bradyn Bearb followed with a nine-yard scoring run and a quick 12-0 lead.
"We set the tone," Lotief said of the jarring hits that forced the fumbles. "We got on them. I thought we were the better team, no doubt, from watching film, and our kids performed.
That's important. Our seniors have never won a playoff game before." The Pirates showed off their passing ability.
Quarterback Sabe David threw a 14-yard TD pass to tight end Carter Petry for a 28-0 lead late in the first quarter. Earlier, David connected with Landry on a two-point conversion pass that followed Hebert's one-yard dive. "It's nice because it opens up the run and allows us to run the ball how we like to," said David, who threw a 44-yard TD in a win over Southern Lab.
"It's nice having three guys to hand the ball off to and know they're getting three yards no matter what." Landry is over the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season. Hebert, who rushed for 32 yards on 10 carries against North Webster, leads the team with 20 TDs .
Bearb carried seven times for 52 yards. "Sabe David does what he has to do," Lotief said. "He's a smart kid.
He doesn't get a lot of credit. People think all he does is hand the ball off. He's respected in that huddle.
He tells the kids what to do." The Knights (3-8) rushed for four yards in each of the first two quarters and failed to complete their first six passes against a Kaplan defense that is allowing less than 50 yards rushing per game. "We had a good game-plan," Lotief said.
"The guys are starting to trust. 'Do your job. Don't worry about the stats.
Don't worry about getting the tackle,' is what we tell them. "Do your job. We'll get the success.
" Landry's second TD run and a two-point dive by Hebert made it 36-0 at the 10:28 mark of the second quarter. Landry's third score and a PAT from Gannon Smith extended it to 43-0 with 5:59 left in the half. Kaplan will host No.
9 Pine (8-3) - a 40-16 winner over No. 21 St. Helena - in the regional round.
Lotief, who has taken Kaplan teams to the semifinal round three times, believes this squad has what it takes. "We've been talking about it," he said. "This team can be special.
They can be on (a banner) on the wall in the gym. These teams don't come around a whole lot.".
