Leps Crush Caldwell For Third Win in a Row
Some teams can pass the football and some can’t.
Nowhere was that gap wider than Friday in Caldwell as the Leps threw for a seasonbest 385 yards on their way to a 53-21 victory over the Hornets.
By contrast Caldwell had zero passing yards and threw a pair of interceptions.
The victory was La Grange’s third in a row after they had started the season with four losses. It vaults the Leps into a tie for first in the district standings with stateranked Cuero. “That first month of the season we weren’t confident. Everything was new,” said La Grange’s Thai Scott who had a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 79yard touchdown catch Friday. “Then we got that first win and our confidence has just continued to grow.”
La Grange never trailed in this one and improved to 3-4 See overall and 2-0 in district. Caldwell dropped to 0-7 with the loss, their 25th loss in a row.
“I’m really proud of the kids and excited for them,” said La Grange head coach Kyle Cooper of the win-streak. “You do this to win. That’s not the ultimate goal, we’re in this business to make men and that’s what I believe football and athletics does – but it’s fun to win.”
Junior quarterback Clayton Cooper threw for 306 yards Friday on 23 of 32 passing, and at one point completed 11 passes in a row. Cooper also ran for 90 yards and a touchdown. Senior Bennett Barber also threw a 79-yard touchdown to Thai Scott in the fourth quarter.
“Got great blocks from Cody Krupala and Camden Coltrain and I was just thinking ‘Don’t get caught,’” Scott said of his TD catch.
While La Grange was excellent in the air, the Leps also did well on the ground. Junior Le’Kayvion Broussard ran for four first half touchdowns as La Grange built a 32-21 halftime lead. He ended up with 124 total rushing yards.
The Leps defense really buckled down in the second half, shutting out the Hornets as the lead continued to grow.
Doryan Fenix has emerged as a big playermaker on that defensive front the past two games. A move-in, Fenix had to sit out several games until he was eligible but it’s been worth the wait.
“We went out here and played our hardest and executed the job,” Fenix said. “And we’re going to strive to be better.”
“He’s got a motor that runs hot,” Cooper said of Fenix. “He makes that D-line better.”
Dillan Johnson was a freshman receiver called up to varsity for the first time Friday for the Leps. He made the most of his varsity debut, catching eight balls for 80 yards.
“It was a great experience. I was proud to be able to help my teammates,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t nervous. It just came naturally.”
Another Lep freshman, Dwodney Thompson, snagged his first career varsity interception in the fourth quarter Friday.
“Dillan’s a great football player, really smart. We felt like it was time to call him up,” Cooper said. “He and Dwodney both, they haven’t flinched once since we called them up.”
Nate Scott led the Leps in receiving with four catches for 155 yards including an 86-yard touchdown catch. Julian Sherman also had seven catches for 55 yards.
It was a big night allaround for the Leps, which sends them into their annual rivalry game against Giddings (a team they’ve been playing almost every season for over a century) with plenty of momentum. Giddings, meanwhile, has been headed in the opposite direction. The Buffaloes are 1-6 overall and coming off a one-point loss to Smithville last week in a game Giddings led by 13 going into the fourth quarter.
“I’m excited. It’s a great high school rivalry,’ Cooper said. “It’s also our first Paws for the Cause night (players will wear special jerseys honoring loved ones affected by cancer) and there will be the tunnel run (for elementary kids to run out on the field before the game). It’s going to be a great environment.”