Kaplan uses ball control to beat Erath

KAPLAN - The Kaplan Pirates used ball control to knock off District 6-3A rival Erath Bobcats.
Ahead only 15-8 at halftime, the Pirates scored 15 unanswered points late in the third quarter to beat Erath 30-14.
The win improves to 6-2 overall and 3-0 in district. Erath falls to 3-5 and 1-2 in district.
The back breaker for Erath would be the third period.
Kaplan took the opening second half kickoff and drove 68 yards in 15 plays for a touchdown. On the drive, Kaplan ate up 8 minutes off the clock thanks to all running plays. Kaplan fullback Julius Johnson had nine carries for 30 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown, on the drive.
On the kickoff, leading 23-8, Kaplan kicker Jaise Meche kicked the ball on the ground and it hit off an Erath player.
Kaplan’s D’Angelo Martin fell on the ball at midfield.
On the next play, Kaplan’s Grant Frick found an opening on the left side and went 50 yards for paydirt. Just like that, the Pirates went ahead 30-8.
“We squib kicked it because we did not want to kick it to No. 3 (Elijah Mitchell). We wanted to kick the ball on the ground, hoping it would hit off an Erath player. Our players are taught to look for the football,” said Kaplan Head Coach Stephen Lotief.
At the start of the fourth period, the Bobcats put together a 48-yard drive of their own for a touchdown. Mitchell, who finished the night with 76 yards, had six carries for 2 yards on that drive.
Erath quarterback Ben LeBlanc had two runs for 18 yards and he also threw two passes, including a 17-yard TD pass to Ross Granger on the drive. The TD was set up by a 12-yard reception by Luke Young two plays earlier.
The Bobcats got the ball back in the fourth period when Zack Campos recovered a fumble for EHS. However, the Bobcats went backwards, thanks to two sacks by Kaplan defensive end Jalen Bates.
The Kaplan defense finished with at least four sacks in the game. Erath quarterback Ben LeBlanc had 11 carries, 8 of those carries were for minus yards. He finished the game with minus 15-yards on 11
carries.
Bates said the Kaplan defense was confident coming into the game.
“I’m confident in our pass rushing and our secondary,” said Bates on stopping LeBlanc’s passing attack. “I think we did a pretty good job against him.”
Bates rated himself as having an OK game. The Bobcats tried to run on the other side of Bates the first half. In the second half, he said he adjusted and began making plays.
Johnson did most of the ball carrying in the second half for KHS. In the first half, he had 37 yards on eight totes. In the second half, he carried the ball 15 times.
Frick finished the night with 11 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
“We played a complete game,” said Lotief.
Granger had three catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns.
LeBlanc was 6 out of 14 passing for 56 yards and two TDs.
Kaplan quarterback Jade Herpin rushed for 81 yards on 11 carries and he scored a touchdown.
Kaplan travels to Abbeville on Friday, while Erath entertains West St. Mary on Thursday.