Leps Dominate Cameron on Opening Night 41-14
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Members of the La Grange offensive line really dominated Cameron Friday. Photo by Jeff Wick -
La Grange’s Dillan Johnson, right, would haul in this pass and turn it into a touchdown Friday. Photo by Jeff Wick
The Leopard football team made quite an opening night statement, blasting Cameron Yoe 41-14 on the road Friday night. Against a Cameron team they needed overtime to defeat in last year’s season opener, La Grange jumped out to a 34-0 lead after three quarters Friday before Cameron finally found the scoreboard.
“Our kids have been working hard since December,” said third-year La Grange head coach Kyle Cooper. “We’re excited with the outcome. We wanted to come out and give a dominating performance, and I think the kids did that.”
That Leps defense limited Cameron to just 91 yards on the ground and had two takeways – interceptions by Trey Broussard and Casen Conrad.
“Our defense, I knew we would be ready to play. We’ve been working hard,” said Broussard, a sophomore, who got that interception in his first-ever varsity game.
Meanwhile, the new look La Grange offense (which has an entirely new offensive line, and new quarterback and primary running back) was impressive. New quarterback Eli Gillum ran for 65 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 202 yards with two touchdowns, and completed 13 of his 15 passes, including his last 12 of the night in a row.
“I’m been dreaming of this since I was the freshman quarterback. We had fun back then and we came out here and had a lot of fun,” Gillum said. “I was very nervous tonight. But as soon as I got hit the first time I was good.”
New running back Klayton Michalka had a team-high 101 yards rushing and scored the Leps’ first points of the night on a four-yard touchdown.
“I played with those guys last year on JV,” Michalka said of the new O-line. “I know them really well. We’re going to try our best.”
Dillan Johnson ran for a three-yard touchdown and caught a 27-yard TD pass.
“We knew we were going to be physical and outwork them,” Johnson said.
Johnson caught a teamhigh six passes for 124 yards.
Mason Kleiber also caught a nine yard touchdown pass.
“I heard somebody say one time balance is not running or passing it’s getting your playmakers the ball,” Cooper said. “A lot of guys contributed and that O-line is getting better and better.”
The La Grange special teams also shined. Punter Colt Jobb boomed a punt 63 yards and later placed a punt inside the Cameron two yard line. Kicker Aaron Torres, a converted soccer player in his first football game, was six-of-seven on extra points. Dwodney Thompson, Broussard and Howard Holmes all had long returns, but all three were brought back because of penalties.
If there was one blemish on this game for the Leps, it would be penalties. La Grange was flagged 11 times for a whopping 105 yards.
“We have to clean some things up from the top-down,” Cooper said. But otherwise it was a dominating opening night, which sets the stage for this Friday’s home opener against defending state champ Columbus, which is coming off a 28-21 opening night loss to Cuero. Last year Columbus beat La Grange 63-21.
“They do a great job over there in Columbus,” Cooper said. “It will be a great challenge. I’m excited.”
La Grange 41, Cameron 14
Score by quarters
La Grange 14 6 14 7 – 41 Cameron 0 0 0 14 – 14
LG Cam
Rushes-yds 34-160 34-91 Passing yards 202 188 Total yards 362 279 Comp-Att-Int 13-15-0 17-29-2 Fumbles-lost 4-0 2-0 Penalties-Yds 11-105 11-69
Scoring summary
1ST QUARTER
LA GRANGE – 2:41, Klayton Michalka 4 run (Aaron Torres kick) LA GRANGE – 1:00, Dillan Johnson 3 run (Torres kick) 2ND QUARTER LA GRANGE – 10:38, Eli Gillum 22 run (kick failed) 3RD QUARTER LA GRANGE – 9:41, Mason Kleiber 9 pass from Gillum (Torres kick) LA GRANGE – 6:52, Johnson 27 pass from Gillum (Torres kick) 4TH QUARTER CAMERON – 6:36, Edgar Velasquez 85 pass from Jacobe Scott (Cesar Najera kick) LA GRANGE – 4:50, Gillum 31 run (Torres kick) CAMERON – :52, Sherllandric Polk 7 run (Najera kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: La Grange – Klayton Michalka 16-101, Eli Gillum 10-65, Dillan Johnson 4-23, Edric Gants 1-(-2), Team 3-(-27); Cameron – Polk 11-43, Scott 17-41, Jax Aguirre 5-23, Team 1-(-16).
Passing: La Grange – Eli Gillum 13 of 15 for 202 yards with 2 TDs; Cameron – Scott 17 of 29 for 188 yards with 1 TD and 1 INTs.
Receiving: La Grange – Dillan Johnson 6-124, Dwodney Thompson 1-22, Mason Kleiber 2-21, Koen Zbranek 2-17, Travis Hill 1-11, Ethan Prasek 1-7.
District 11-4A Football Standings
Overall
La Grange 1-0 Sealy 1-0 Caldwell 1-0 Madisonville 1-0 Giddings 0-1 Bellville 0-1
Friday results:
La Grange 41, Cameron 14 Sealy 33, Navasota 18 Caldwell 47, Crockett 32 Madisonville 47, Diboll 12 Jarrell 36, Giddings 10 Celina 50, Bellville 28
This week’s games: Columbus at La Grange Madisonville at Navasota Caldwell at Robinson Cameron at Sealy Smithville at Giddings Bellville at Stafford