Kaplan's defense rises to occasion

WINNFIELD - The Kaplan defense rose to the occasion more than once in the Pirates’ win over Winnfield Friday in the Class 3A second round playoff game.
Kaplan won 22-7 and will play host to No. 1 Lutcher Friday in the third round game.
The Pirates defense stopped Winnfield from scoring in the Red Zone on two different series of downs.
The defense also had at least seven sacks and two interceptions. Trae Case had the two interceptions for Kaplan.
One of the defensive stands was late in the second quarter.
Winnfield marched down to the Kaplan four-yard line and had a first down. The Kaplan defense stopped them on three separate plays.
Winnfield elected to go for it on fourth down right at the end of the second quarter. The Pirates’ defense stopped them cold.
Kaplan led 14-7 at half time.
After falling behind 7-0, Kaplan stormed back and scored 14-straight points. Quarterback Jade Herpin connected with Grant Frick for a 21-yard touchdown. Frick ran it in on the two-point conversion to give Kaplan the lead, 8-6.
Frick re-injured his collar bone on Friday and will be miss the Lutcher game.
Mac Thibeaux stepped in and filled Frick’s shoes, rushing the football.
He scored on a 7-yard touchdown at the 3:35 mark in the second quarter. He finished the game with nine carries for 104 yards.
The Pirate defense came up big in the third quarter. Winnfield had four straight negative yards, including three quarterback sacks in the series.
“Our defense played well tonight,” said Kaplan head coach Stephen Lotief. “Our offense also played well. It was the entire team effort we needed to win.”
Julius Johnson had his normal game - carried the pigskin 28 times for 120 yards and he scored a touchdown. Herpin also ran five times for 54 yards.
With sacks for Kaplan were Jaise Meche, Payton Gaspard, D’ Angelo Martin, Jerrick Romero and