La Grange Powers Past La Marque 51-42

Dillan Johnson scored five touchdowns to lead La Grange to a marquee victory over La Marque Friday at a windy Leopard Stadium.

In what was the most important victory of Kyle Cooper’s four-year tenure as Leps head coach, La Grange bolted out to a 14-0 lead in the game’s first three minutes and then survived a furious comeback by La Marque to hold on to a 51-42 win against one of Texas’ most storied football programs – which has five state titles to its credit.

“Very proud of our kids, proud of our coaches, thought we put in a good game plan,” Cooper said. “Those guys are tough to defend ... We just kept coming offensively. Defensively we got a few stops, got a few turnovers, won the special teams game and put it all together.”

La Grange quarterback Eli Gillum ran for a team-high See 116 yards and also threw for 130 yards.

The victory was the Leps’ fourth in a row, and improves them to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in district and sets up battle for the district’s top spot this Friday in Bellville.

“This is a big jump for us,” Johnson said. “We haven’t done that in a while (such a good start to district), so we are building off a lot of momentum going into a big week.”

La Marque ended up outgaining the Leps in total yards 474 to 372, but the Leps never let the Cougars fully dig out of that early 14-0 hole.

The game could not have started better for the Leps. Gio Luna booted the opening kickoff high into the twilight sky and it was bobbled by a La Marque player. Howard Holmes seized the opportunity and recovered the ball.

“It comes down to watching film, we knew we were going to get a recovery on one of them and it just happened to be the first one,” Holmes said. “It was a big thing for us.”

Six plays later Johnson scored the first of those five touchdowns on a one-yard run. On La Marque’s ensuing possession, they fumbled away the ball and La Grange defensive lineman Khris Cuevas recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown.

“It set the momentum at the very beginning,” Cuevas said. “It was scary. I thought I was going to let the ball roll out of the endzone for a safety, but no. It feels great ... We’ve worked hard ever since day one. We put in the work. We didn’t give up. We kept fighting and fighting, and I’m very proud of my teammates.”

Then the game became a slugfest as the teams traded score for score.

Each of La Marque’s touchdowns in the first half were quickly answered by La Grange – Johnson grabbed a tipped pass from Gillum and turned it into a 64 yard touchdown, Luna booted a 26-yard field goal into the wind, and then Johnson scored his third touchdown on a 22-yard run.

All that helped La Grange to a 30-21 halftime lead.

But the Leps had seen such halftime leads evaporate earlier this season in losses to Navasota and Columbus.

But not this time. Another Smith touchdown run for La Marque cut the La Grange lead to 30-28 early in the third quarter. But Chris Supak’s 11yard touchdown run and Johnson’s fourth touchdown run – sandwiched around a Holmes interception of a Cougar pass, put the Leps up 44-28 late in the third quarter.

La Marque wouldn’t go away, however, scoring 14 unanswered points to pull within 44-42 with 5:23 left in the game. La Marque’s Aaron Walker II threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns on 23 of 39 passing.

A Leps’ drive stalled at the Cougars 13-yard line with 1:57 left in the game. Then La Marque went four-and-out on their next possession, giving the ball back to the Leps at the Cougar seven yard line.

It only took Johnson one more run, from seven yards away, to find the endzone and put La Grange up 51-42 with :48 left in the game, and that’s the way it would stay.

After the game Johnson agreed it was his best night ever as a Leopard.

“We’re very proud of him and those guys up front. They got after it,” Cooper said.

“We were hungry this week, and we were ready,” Johnson said.

Luna was so hungry to get back on the field, he rushed back from a toe injury that had kept him out the last few games – and he, like so many other Leps Friday, came up big.

“It’s still bruised but I’m fighting through the pain because I wanted to play,” Luna said. “I’m playing for fun, and I’m having fun.

Now the Leps turn their attention to Bellville, which is 4-3 overall and tied with the Leps at 2-0 in district and coming off a 85-0 victory over Katy Harmony.

“We feel great. The win means a lot, but we have to put this one past us and get back to work next week,” Holmes said.