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Coach Matt Desormeaux’s Ascension Episcopal Blue Gator took momentum from a 95-yard drive and opted to go for the win instead of overtime Friday night here at Patriots Stadium. And boy did the gamble pay off.
Wide receiver Seth Kirstetter took the snap in the wildcat formation, sprinted hard to the right, and fooled everyone as he put on the breaks and threw back across the field to a wide open Ethan Leoni who snuck across the formation from his tight end spot to give AES a 22-21 win over the Patriots.
The win moved the Blue Gators to a perfect 3-0 start, while the Patriots suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 2-1.
With the Patriots leading 21-14 with under 4 minutes to play, the Blue Gator defense was able to hold the NV offense forcing a punt with 2:40 left to play. With no time outs and 95 yards in front of them AES completed back to back passes from Cole Simon to Leoni and a big 56-yard reception from Simon to Will Kerstetter to put themselves in position for the tying score. Jhalen Brown did the honors by pounding the middle for a three yard touchdown run to set up the two-point game winning conversion.
“Our kids played with great effort tonight,” said Patriot Coach Brett Blakey, “we had to overcome a whole lot of adversity tonight and our kids put themselves in position to win the game. We had some kids step up and make plays but we came up a little bit short.”
With the Blue Gators taking their opening drive 75-yards in 8 plays to take a 7-0 lead, the Patriots were dealt with their first blow of the game as starting quarterback Garrett Becker was injured on the first play of the game after a nice 12-yard run. Becker would try to go a few more snaps, but eventually gave way to sophomore back up Dale Martin.
The Patriots first scoring opportunity came right at the start of the second quarter as they drove down to the 15-yard line. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was the Patriots in a tough position forcing NV to settle for a 43-yard field goal attempt that missed wide right.
On the next offensive possession, however, the Patriots were able to get on the scoreboard as running back Malik Criner broke loose on an 82-yard run for the score. Hunter Hulin knocked home the extra point to tie things at seven. Criner would finish the night with 196 yards rushing on 17 carries. Unfortunately for the Patriots, however, Criner was unable to continue past the third quarter as heat cramps got the best of him.
NV did put together a drive just before half, but missed another opportunity as a fumbled snap on the 15-yard line was recovered by AES.
The second half was a back and forth affair as well with the Patriots striking first as Criner’s 22 yard run set up a Kendrick Baudoin three yard score. The PAT was blocked for a 13-7 NV lead. AES answered with a score of their own as Seth Kirstetter took a speed sweep handoff and scampered 38 yards. The PAT was good for a 14-13 Blue Gator lead.
Kirstetter finished the night with 70 yards rushing and 177 yards receiving to go along with his game winning throw on the final two-point conversion.
Kirstetter’s only mistake of the night game a few minutes after his score as he muffed a punt with five minutes remaining with the Patriots recovered and marched in as Baudoin took it in from 14 yards out and added the two point run to give NV the 21-14 lead.
The Patriot pass rush came out on fire the next series and forced a three and out with sacks of 7 and 8 yards forcing AES to punt from their own end zone. The Patriots were set up in great field position at the 40 but were unable to sustain any drive before punting it away to set up the Blue Gator game winning drive.
“You work all week with a game plan and your starting quarterback goes out on the first play and it kind of changes what you can do. And then to have Malik go down in the third quarter didn’t help matters. But I am really proud of the way our back up guys stepped up and made plays, “ added Blakey.
Along with Criner’s 196 yards, Baudoin added 43 yards on 10 carries, Martin rushed for 38 yards on 10 carries and Darian Duhon added 34 yards on six carries.
Martin finished 8-of-14 for 69 yards in the air.
AES outgained NV as they threw for 282 yards and rushed for 143 more. NV finished the game with 320 yards on the ground and 69 by air.
The Patriots begin a two game road set with long trips to Varnado and South Beauregard before returning for Homecoming on October 5th versus Patterson.
“We will have to show back up to work on Monday and begin the process of bouncing back. Despite the loss, I feel like we turned the corner as a football team tonight as we had many different issues to overcome and we still gave ourselves a chance to win.”

Judy Ann LeBlanc, age 73, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 7, 2018 in The Woodlands, Texas. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 11 am at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, LA. Interment will follow at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Reverend Louis Richard officiating the services. The family requests that visitation be observed at St. Mary Magdalen from 10:00 am with a rosary being prayed at 10:30 am prior to the service.
Judy was a great and loving daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother and grandmother. She was born premature and was said to have been carried home in a shoebox due to her size. From a “pint- sized” beginning, Judy demonstrated amazing strength and fortitude to overcome many obstacles in life. Judy graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1964, where she credited the nuns and staff for building her foundation in the Catholic faith. Her faith and spiritual life was fundamental to her personality. She served as Eucharistic minister at St. Mary Magdalen Church and to the sick. She became a “Prayer Warrior for the Lord” throughout her adult life, which included leading Holy Spirit prayer groups and later as a Suffering Associate in the Community of Jesus Crucified.
Judy was employed in various sales positions throughout her life. She enjoyed baking, crafting, watching Westerns, listening to music and dancing to her favorite song, “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino. Her family will dearly miss her special “quirk” of “ringing in one’s birthday” with her cheery voice, accompanied by the happy clanging of one of her many bells.
Judy’s health challenges in recent years required her to move away from her beloved hometown, Abbeville. Her radiant smile and calm presence provided a salve to many friends and staff in several senior living communities in Lafayette, LA and The Woodlands, TX.
She is survived by her two daughters, Felicia M. Ralph (Forest) of The Woodlands, TX and Dr. Rachelle Meaux of Lafayette, LA; her grandchildren, Spencer Montgomery, Garrett Montgomery, and Noah Ralph; her sisters, Shirley Huckaby, Marlene Broussard (Adam), Jackie L. Amy; her brother, Dale LeBlanc (Debbie); and her great-aunt, Adles Joubert.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Assay J. and Eula Maihles LeBlanc; her sister, Betty LeBlanc Choate; and her brother, Assay J. LeBlanc Jr.
The family requests that guests wear blue. This was Judy’s favorite color, and serves as a tribute to our Divine Mother, Mary.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the following in Judy’s name:
National Shrine of Father Seelos, 919 Josephine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 (504-525-2495)
Mt. Carmel School, 405 Park Avenue, Abbeville, LA 70510 (337-898-0859).

March 7, 1931 - September 8, 2018

ABBEVILLE — Visitation Service for Adam Hunter Jr. is scheduled for 8:30 A.M until 10:30 A.M. with Funeral Service at 11:00 A.M., on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at Faith Hope Missionary Baptist Church – 407 Duroq Street, Abbeville, LA. Burial will be in Rudd & Hill Cemetery.
“Those we love are never really lost to us - we feel them in so many special ways-
through friends they always cared about and dreams they left behind, in beauty that they added to our days... in words of wisdom we still carry with us and memories that never will be gone... “
He leaves to cherish his memory: Two daughters, Jacqueline Hunter- Richard and Katherine Hunter both of Winston-Salem, NC. ; Two Sons, Adam Hunter III of Winston-Salem, NC. and Ollie J. Hunter (Shalana) of Abbeville, LA.; Two Sisters, Elizabeth Williams of Kaplan, LA. and Rosa Hunter-Smith of New Orleans, LA., Nine Grandchildren, Eight Great-Grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He is preceded in death by his wife Geneva Montgomery Hunter; his parents, Adam and Catherine Primeaux Hunter; Two Brothers, Howard and Harold Hunter and One Sister, Lillian Hunter.
Kinchen Funeral Home Inc., 1011 North Saint Antoine Street, Lafayette LA 70501 is in charge of arrangements. Additionally, condolences to the family can be expressed on our website at www.kinchenfuneralhome.com.

July 27, 1934 ~ September 11, 2018

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Billie Wayne Broussard, 84, who died Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice.
She will be laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Fr. Michael Richard officiating the services.
After graduating from Abbeville High School, Billie attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute in nearby Lafayette, La. While there, she held a campus job working in the switch board office. Her major was English with a minor in Library Science. She graduated in three years.
Billie’s teaching career took her to Abbeville, Maurice and Henry High Schools. She taught English and was also a librarian. She was the librarian at Maurice Elementary for 3 years until her retirement. During her teaching career, she was involved with and enjoyed her affiliation with the Louisiana Librarians Association and made many friends.  She retired from the Vermilion Parish School System in 1990.
She had been a member of Broussard Family Reunion (La Famille Beausoleil).
She was inducted as a Living Legend of the Acadian Museum on June 6, 2015. She also had the privilege in helping Warren Perrin in editing/proofing his book “Vermilion Parish”.
She is survived by her three sons, Jude Roy Broussard, Joe E. Broussard and his wife Lorraine, and James Boyd Broussard all of Abbeville; one daughter, Anne B. Skipton and her husband Don of Tomball, TX; and eight grandchildren, Amy Harris and her husband Sean, Jacob Broussard, Zachary Broussard, Phillip Broussard, Cassie Broussard, Shawn Broussard, Mallory Broussard and Austin Broussard.
She was preceded in death by her husband, R.F. Broussard; parents, Eustis Broussard and the former Willie Mae Waller; and one brother, J.E. “Spanky” Broussard.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Friday, September 14, 2018 from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 7:00 PM; Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 8:00 AM until 12:45 PM when the procession will depart for the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Mt. Carmel School of Abbeville, Development Fund, 405 Park Ave., Abbeville, LA 70510.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.