Peter Russo Trophy staying in Kaplan for another year

KAPLAN - The Peter Russo Trophy looks to have found a nice home in Kaplan.
For the last 9 years the Russo Trophy, given to the winner of the Abbeville High/Kaplan High football game, has been on display in the trophy case in the halls of Kaplan High.
Once a year the Russo Trophy gets to leave the trophy case when Kaplan and Abbeville meet.
The parish teams met to open the 2015 season and based on the outcome, it looks like the Russo Trophy is going back into the same trophy case.
Kaplan beat Abbeville, 44-7. It is the 10th time in a row that the Pirates have downed the Wildcats.
“I thought we played well,” said KHS Stephen Lotief. “Our offense stayed on the field a lot, which is always a great defense by keeping Abbeville’s offense off the field.”
The Pirates ran twice as many plays as Abbeville - 58 to 29.
By halftime, the Pirates put the game out of reach by pounding the football on the ground behind the running of Grant Frick and Julius
Johnson. At half, the two combined for 136 yards of rushing as the Pirates led 29-7.
The Wildcats did take a brief 7-6 lead in the first period. After the Pirates marched down field and scored on its first possession, Abbeville’s kick off returner Matt Johnson took the kickoff and ran it back 87 yards for a touchdown. Billy Arceneaux nailed the extra point, and just like that the Wildcats were ahead 7-6.
The Wildcats’ defense was able to stop Kaplan from scoring when the Pirates went for it fourth down at goal from the AHS 5. Abbeville’s Matt Simon sacked KHS quarterback Jade Herpin.
However, three plays later, Abbeville fumbled and defensive lineman Payton Gaspard recovered it for Kaplan on Abbeville’s 10-yard-line.
Two plays later, Julius Johnson scored from 10 yards out for Kaplan.
The Wildcats fumbled again on their next possession and Kaplan took advantage of it once again, scoring a TD.
The Pirates scored right before halftime on Frick’s 8-yard run up the middle and Jaise Meche nailed the extra point for a 29-7 lead.
Frick only ran the football twice in the second half, while Johnson had six carries and finished with 93 yards. Frick scored three touchdowns and finished the night with 114 yards.
The Pirates played their junior varsity squad the entire fourth period.
Herpin did complete two passes. He completed a 9-yard pass to Frick and a 30-yarder to Adam Gaspard.
The Pirates will be on the road Friday for a contest against the Vermilion Catholic Eagles. The No. 4 ranked Eagles in Class A are coming off a 35-21 win over Catholic High of New Iberia.
Abbeville is at home against Berwick next Friday.