Kaplan off to best start since 2016 season

ERATH - The Kaplan Pirates are in a place they have not been since the 2016 season when they won 13 straight games before falling to Amite in the semifinals of the playoffs.
On Friday, the Pirates beat the Erath Bobcats 16-13 and improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the district.
The last great start for a Pirate team was the 2016 Pirates, under former head coach Stephen Lotief.
KHS head coach Cory Brodie was proud of his team for winning their second straight district game.
“It means a lot more to be 2-0 in the district,” said Brodie. “We took the tough route tonight. We have to do a better job converting fourth down and one plays. We did not convert on three fourth-down plays. We need to finish the game.”
Kaplan is at home Friday to battle the St. Martinville Tigers. Erath travels to Abbeville (4-2).
With a sophomore quarterback, the Bobcats (1-6) almost pulled off the upset win over the Pirates.
EHS head coach Eric LeBlanc said, “ When you are 1-and-5, work hard and there is no reward. It stings. We are that close to winning.”
Late in the fourth period, the Pirates got the ball back, leading 16-13, with just under three minutes to go. The game plan was to pick up a first down on the drive and eat up the clock. Erath’s defense had another idea. They stopped Kaplan on four straight plays, including a fourth down and three with 1:05 to play in the game.
The Bobcats got the ball back at mid field and needed to move downfield quick.
Sophomore QB Jack Landry almost converted the miracle drive in the final minute.
The Bobcats moved the ball down to the KHS 35-yard-line with only 35 seconds left to play in the game. Landry completed back-to-back passes, including an 11-yard pass to Bo Lancon. Unfortunately, time ran out on the Bobcats.
Landry, making his first career start because three-year starting quarterback Lynkon Romero injured his shoulder last week, did not have a bad game. He completed 12 out of 19 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He was also sacked three times, including one in the end zone, resulting in a Kaplan safety.
Kaplan defensive end Remy Broussard said the defensive game plan was simple. Put pressure on the sophomore quarterback.
“We wanted to get to Jack and put pressure on him,” said Broussard. “If we did that, it would change Erath’s offense.”
The KHS defense sacked Landry seven times. Broussard had four, Hayes Broussard added two and Gunnar Bourque had the sack in the end zone.
Erath stunned the Pirates on the first play of a game when Landry completed a 53-yard touchdown reception to Bo Lancon. Just like that, EHS was up 7-0.
The score remained 7-0 until the six-minute mark in the second quarter. Kaplan’s defensive players Hayes Broussard and Remy Broussard teamed to sack Landry in the endzone.
After the safety, Kaplan got the ball back on the free kick and marched 77 yards in seven plays. Running backs Daylon Landry and Jed Devoltz carried the pigkin downfield.
On third down and goal from the 4, Devoltz scored a touchdown on a run.
In four minutes, Kaplan went from being down 7-0 to leading 10-7.
With 1:41 left in the half, Landry led Erath downfield for a touchdown. Landry connected with Payton Pickens for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the first half. The two-point run attempt was no good, giving EHS a 13-10 lead at halftime.
Erath gained all of its first half yards in the air. Landry completed six out of nine passes for 144 yards. EHS had only 10 yards rushing.
The Pirates, on the other hand, had 180 yards rushing in the first half. Devoltz had 90 of those 180 yards. Devoltz finished the game with 27 carries for 144 yards.
“In a rivalry game like this, to give up the first touchdown on the first play is big,” said Brodie. “Then we go down and get stopped on the goal-line, but turn right back around and get the safety. We never quit. It is a whole different mindset with these players. This is an awesome feeling to do it on the road.”