La Grange Sinks Smithville by 60

How do you erase the frustration of an 0-2 start to the season?

Pulling off the most lopsided La Grange victory in recent memory (and maybe ever) will do the trick.

In the historic 100th meeting between La Grange and Smithville football teams, the Leopards dominated the Tigers in every way possible to run away with a 66-6 victory Friday night.

“I had the mindset from when I woke up this morning that we were fixing to smack them,” said La Grange junior Trey Broussard, who intercepted two passes, and ran one back for a touchdown and also had a 60-yard touchdown run Friday.

“You want that first win. I thought the kids played well,” La Grange head coach Kyle Cooper said. “We had some big plays in there and the kids executed ... 1916 was the first time this thing was played (La Grange versus Smithville) and that’s one of the great things about Texas high school football, the history the pageantry. It was special – fun to be a part of.”

There was a whole array of heroes for the Leps in this one.

In addition to Broussard’s exploits, La Grange quarterback Eli Gillum ran for two touchdowns and a team-high 101 yards and he also threw for an even 100 yards and another touchdown (a 45-yarder to Klayton Michalka).

Dillan Johnson ran for 99 yards and three touchdowns.

La Grange’s Colt Jobb and Rogan Mihatsch also snagged interceptions. Mihatsch returned his 75 yards for a touchdown.

Kicker Gio Luna stayed perfect this season on extra points and he also booted a 20-yard field goal.

“It was a great team win,” Cooper said.

“We had high expectations all offseason, and now we feel awesome,” said La See Grange senior offensive lineman Sterling Walla. “Momentum’s rolling now.”

In both their losses this season the Leps had halftime leads and lost them.

Not this time. La Grange was already up 42-6 at halftime.

Much of the second half was played by Leps reserves, and they continued to move the football, and stop Smithville from getting anything going.

The Tigers (1-3) actually started the game with a surprise, recovering an onside kick.

But they couldn’t advance it and then fumbled away a punt try that was recovered by La Grange’s Jonathan Bamsch – one of five takeaways by the Leps in this game.

“We played our hearts out,” said Bamsch, a senior, who was making his second start of the season at outside linebacker. “Everyone did great ... (About that fumble recovery) I saw the ball on the ground and just fell on it, and we had momentum from there.”

Smithville quarterback Rorry Johnson was able to run for 97 yards Friday, but he was plagued by those four interceptions.

The Tigers ended up with 191 total yards from scrimmage Friday compared to 413 for the Leps.

Now La Grange turns its attention from one historic rival to another – Giddings, which comes to Leopard Stadium this Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

The Leps have actually played the Buffaloes more than the Tigers – some 107 times over the years.

Last year the Leps beat Giddings 66-42. This year the Buffaloes have started the season 3-1, and just lost their first game of the season last week to Lexington 34-20.

“We’re excited to get into the lockerroom and celebrate this win with the kids, but it’s back to work tomorrow,” Cooper said.