1 week Ago
Zachary quarterback Caleb Gonzales (12) drops back to pass against Catholic in the first quarter of the District 4-5A game on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 in Zachary, Louisiana. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Zachary's backs were against the wall.
The score was tied but Sam Houston had gone on a 28-7 run in the second quarter to get back even. Like a week ago, Zachary's defense was struggling. And its offense, although explosive, turned it over twice in the quarter.
Zachary needed to respond in order to keep its season alive. And that's what it did. Zachary scored touchdowns on each of its opening three possessions to start the second half, sprinting out to a 20-point lead.
It went on to take down No. 19 Sam Houston 54-35, advancing to the second round of the Division I non-select LHSAA playoff bracket. The victory sets up a matchup between No.
14 Zachary and No. 3 Ruston next week. "Sometimes when you come out with a big big lead like that in the first half, everybody kind of takes a foot off the gas a little bit and that's what I was pleading with out guys not to do," Zachary coach David Brewerton said, "and we did it, unfortunately.
" The spark for Zachary's offense in the second half — and quite frankly throughout the entire night — was senior running back Da'vekio Ruffin. After scoring six touchdowns last weekend against Catholic, Ruffin scored six more against Sam Houston. He found the end zone on each of Zachary's opening three drives in the second half.
"He runs really low to the ground," Brewerton said. "And sometimes you can't see him behind those big o-linemen. He kind of pops out of there, ya know.
" As Ruffin continued to find the end zone, Zachary's defense allowed its attack to extend its lead. It forced two punts, an interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs to start the second half. After surrendering 73 points the week before to Catholic, it was an important step forward for Brewerton's defense.
"A couple of adjustments took place there and (we) just had to lock back in," Brewerton said. Zachary got off to a blazing start, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter after senior quarterback Caleb Gonzales threw a pair of deep touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Tre Chaney on its opening two possessions and Ruffin found the end zone for his first score on the third. "I felt like the run game never really got stopped in the first half," Brewerton said.
"We kind of stopped it." The hosts were then on the cusp of jumping out to a 28-0 lead late in the same quarter, but Gonzales threw an ill-advised pass across his body that was intercepted. The turnover changed Sam Houston's fortunes.
Following the interception, it went on a 28-7 run in the second quarter to tie the score by halftime. It was a rough start for Sam Houston. It turned over the ball on downs on its opening two drives, and on the third drive an errant snap on the punt attempt handed the ball to Zachary in prime position to add to its lead.
But Zachary responded to Sam Houston's mistake with another mistake: Gonzales' turnover. Sam Houston capitalized on the interception with a touchdown of its own, cutting its deficit to 14. Ruffin scored his second touchdown of the night to extend Zachary's lead back to 21, but Sam Houston then caught fire on offense.
It scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives, taking advantage of a Zachary fumble at the Sam Houston 11-yard line and a poor Zachary punt. Stout threw touchdown passes on each scoring possession, including two to senior wide receiver Ayden Rose..
