Zachary knocks off another unbeaten, West Feliciana
By Hunter Paniagua
Special to The Advocate
October 04, 2012
ZACHARY — Zachary handed an undefeated team its first loss for the second consecutive week Friday night with a 36-21 victory against West Feliciana at Bronco Stadium.
After beating previously undefeated Dutchtown last week, Zachary totaled 433 yards against the Saints. Running back Boston Scott accounted for 131 yards and scored four touchdowns for the Broncos.
Quarterback Trey Hills threw for 242 yards, and Donald Gage led the receivers with 117 yards and a touchdown.
“We’re getting better each week on both sides of the ball,” said Zachary coach Neil Weiner. “Our kids are just confident in the way they prepare.”
WFHS quarterback Dennis Bell completed 5 of 11 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Bell, Dedric Cobb and Devin Bailey combined to run for 221 yards.
“Zachary’s a good football team,” said WFHS coach Robb Odom. “We’ve got some work to do. We’ll get after it and try to get better. We’re 4-1 starting district. We’ll take it. We’d like to have been 5-0, but we’re going to see what we did wrong, try and fix it and get better.”
Both teams put on an offensive display in the first half, combining for 513 yards of total offense and 40 points.
Each team scored on its first drives, going more than 60 yards each for their scores. Zachary opened the scoring with a 5-yard TD run by Scott. Hills set up the score with a 55-yard pass to Trey Leiva.
WFHS responded three plays later on a 50-yard carry by Bailey on an option pitch.
Zachary regained the lead with a seven-play, 68-yard drive.
Forrest Town had two carries totaling 50 yards before Scott scored for the second time from 3 yards out.
The Broncos forced a WFHS punt then scored on their third consecutive 60-plus yard touchdown drive. Hills completed two passes for 22 yards and Scott carried twice for 6 yards, before the two connected on a 31-yard screen pass that gave Scott his third score of the half.
WFHS appeared poised to even the game before halftime after an interception by Deldrick Harris, but the drive stalled in the Zachary red zone, falling a yard short on fourth down.
Zachary then marched 92 yards with less than two minutes remaining in the half. Scott reeled in his second receiving touchdown — his fourth TD of the half — on a 6-yard swing pass from Hills to give the Broncos a 26-14 lead at halftime.
“We try to spread the ball around as much as possible,” Weiner said. “You start to find things that work, and you get in a groove.”
The game became more defensive in the second half, with Zachary notching the only points of the third quarter on a 27-yard field goal by Jacob Garrett.
WFHS turned the ball over on downs on its next two possessions before Zachary mounted a 17-play, 73-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Three personal fouls by the Saints — including a roughing the passer penalty on fourth down — helped prolong the drive. Gage later scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Hills.
The Saints managed to score once more on a 58-yard touchdown reception by Harris, but a failed onside kick sealed the victory for Zachary.