Kaplan secures Russo Trophy again

KAPLAN - The Kaplan Pirates and the Abbeville Wildcats battled Thursday night at Ed Douglas Memorial Stadium in their annual duel for the Russo Memorial Trophy, with the Pirates winning 37-18.

The teams played most of the first half in a torrential downpour as storms moved through the area.  

The Pirates (7-2, 3-1) took the opening kickoff and drove deep into Abbeville territory.  The Wildcats’ (0-9, 0-4) defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.

Abbeville took over, but could not move the ball against the Kaplan defense.  On fourth down the Wildcats elected to go for it in lieu of punting due to the weather conditions.

The Pirates’ defense held and Kaplan took over deep in Wildcat territory again.  On third down, Kaplan quarterback Devante Davis through an alley-oop to Jalen Bates in the end zone, but he was unable to hang on to the slick ball.  Once again, the Wildcat defense stopped the Pirates on fourth down, and the Wildcat offense trotted back onto the field.

Defensively, the Pirates continued to dominate the line of scrimmage, stuffing the Wildcats’ running game.  On fourth down Abbeville head coach Chris Towery elected to punt this time in an attempt to change field position, as virtually the entire first quarter had been played inside the Wildcat 30-yard-line.

The snap sailed over the head of punter Tristan Greene and he alertly kicked the ball through the back of the end zone as the Pirates’ defense converged on him.  The resulting safety put Kaplan ahead 2-0 with 2:38 remaining in the opening period.

After the free kick, Kaplan drove deep into Wildcat territory.  Once again the Wildcats’ defense kept Kaplan out the end zone, forcing  a turn over on downs inside the 5-yard-line.

After Malik Small converted a third and short, the Wildcats finally got a first down.  The rain started to slack and Abbeville went to their play action passing game.

They drove out of the shadow of their own end zone, but Kaplan forced them to punt again with 7:05 remaining in the half.

The Pirates offense drove the ball again and this time Tyson Broussard broke the goal line from four yards out.  Kaylon Rudd ran in the conversion, giving the Pirates a 10-0 lead with 3:59 remaining in the half.

On the first play of the Wildcats’ next drive, Kaylon Rudd intercepted a pass and returned it  inside the Abbeville 5-yard-line.  Once again, Broussard plunged in.  This time from two yards out, giving Kaplan the 16-0 lead with 2:27 remaining in the half.

The two teams traded punts, then Kaplan botched a punt-snap, setting the Wildcats up deep in Pirate territory.

Abbeville quarterback Bryce Melancon hit Keyshawn Bessard out of the back field for a 5-yard touchdown pass, pulling the Wildcats to within 10 at 16-6, with only 42 seconds left in the half.  The conversion failed, leaving it a two-score game at halftime.

Bessard struck again with 7:03 to go in the third quarter when he got to the edge and sped 52-yards to the end zone.  The conversion failed, but the Wildcats made it a new ball game at 16-12.

“It seems like we get everybody’s best shot, Lotief said.  “Every game we play the other team seems to play well.”

Kaplan responded to the challenge on their next drive with Broussard converting a fourth down to keep the drive going, scoring his third touchdown from 13-yards out, and finally running in the two-point conversion to put the Pirates back on top, 24-12, with 2:24 to play in the third.

“Tyson’s scored seven touchdowns in the last two games, said Lotief.  “He’s our fullback and in this weather north and south is how we needed to run the ball.  We fed it to him tonight.”

Broussard finished the game with 140 yards on 27 carries and the three touchdowns.

After the Pirates forced a three and out, Davis broke loose down to the Wildcats’ 10-yard-line. Justin Stoute scored the touchdown from 5-yards out, extending the Kaplan lead to 30-12.

“We’ve had some injuries,” said Pirates’ head coach Stephen Lotief.  “We needed some younger guys to step up tonight.  Jaise Meche played big for us at linebacker.  T.J. Broussard had an interception.”

The Wildcats would not go away however, as Melancon found Bessard for the quick answer.  Once again Bessard escaped out of the backfield and out-raced everyone on his way to a 72-yard touchdown reception with 7:52 remaining in the game to narrow the gap to 30-18.

Bessard finished the game with 58 yards and a touchdown on the ground and 83 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Abbeville forced a Kaplan punt, but Kaplan’s Kerry Kass stepped in front of a pass and returned it 15-yards for the touchdown.  Scott Russo booted the PAT to score the game’s final point with 4:35 to play.

“He’s is our utility guy,” Lotief said of Kass.  “He plays everywhere and makes plays.”

Bates recorded back-to-back sacks for the Pirates on Abbeville’s next possession, forcing a punt.  Kaplan’s offense then ran out the clock and Kaplan claimed the Russo Memorial Trophy for the ninth consecutive year.

“We’re really young and starting over with the program,” Towery said of his team’s struggles this year.  “Kaplan is a good football team.  Even with the weather conditions, we fought hard and were right there until the end.  I’m proud of our guys.”

Kaplan hosts Notre Dame in their regular season finale while Abbeville ends its season at home against West St. Mary.

Written by: Rosco Harrington