Louisiana College vs SRSU Recap

On a bright, sunny, windy Saturday in west Texas the Louisiana College football team fell to the Sul Ross State Lobos by a single touchdown, 21-14.  The Wildcats will return home for the first of two final home games next Saturday as they host the Belhaven Blazers at 6pm at Wildcat Field.

For the second week in a row the Wildcats first possession of the game ended with an interception, when an Easton Melancon pass was batted into the air and fell into the hands of a Lobos linebacker. The defense would force a punt but the offense would give the ball back to Sul Ross on downs on their next drive.  On their second possession of the game Sul Ross put together their most impressive drive, going 63 yards in 11 plays that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run and gave the Lobos the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The Wildcats would punt on their next two drives with the second punt, from their own end zone, giving the Lobos great field position in LC territory.  The Lobos capitalized on the field position scored on an 11-yard pass into the back corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Down two scores, just before the half, the Wildcats put together what looked to be their best drive of the game to that point, but just as in last week’s game against Hardin-Simmons, a fumble inside the opponents 5-yard line ended the promising drive. Instead of going into half down by one touchdown the Wildcats went into the break down 14-0.

To start the second half the Wildcat defense forced the Lobos to punt which started LC’s first scoring drive of the game when Easton Melancon found Shedrick Davis in the end zone for an 8-yard score to cut the lead in half at 14-7 with eight minutes left in the third quarter. Neither team would threaten the rest of the third quarter and the teams would head to the fourth at 14-7 Lobos.

Sul Ross pulled a rabbit out of their hat in the fourth on a double pass where receiver Steven Savedra caught a toss from quarterback James Davis and then threw into the end zone for a touchdown to fellow receiver Jeremy Reed. Down two scores once again the Wildcats had an opportunity to cut into the Lobos lead but another turnover in the red zone ended another promising drive for LC, this time an interception at the Sul Ross eight yard line.

The Wildcat defense stepped up again and forced a punt to give the ball back to Melancon and the offense but a fourth down pass into the end zone fell out of the hands of Shedrick Davis and the Wildcats would once again be held out of the end zone, and denied a chance to cut into the Lobos lead.  They were able to punch it in from 2-yards when Nick Julien found the end zone but, time was not on the Wildcats side at that point with only 2:22 left in the game.  After a failed onside kick recovery, the Lobos were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.

Easton Melancon finished the game with a season low 234 yards on 20 of 50 completions and two interceptions, the tough Sul Ross defense held Aurren Cooksey to 61 yards on 21 carries.  Shedrick Davis was able to go over 100 yards receiving for the fifth time this season with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.  Ryan DeMattie led the team with eight total tackles and Orel Ledet, Jr, Anthony Hargrave and Willie Smith each contributed seven tackles in the game.

The Wildcats will make the long trip back from Sul Ross and prepare to host Belhaven next Saturday in the first of two home games in a row. Kickoff is set for 6pm at Wildcat Field as Louisiana College hosts Military Appreciation Night.