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LOREAUVILLE — The North Vermilion Patriots got their running game going in a big way Thursday night, rolling up more than 300 yards and five touchdowns on the ground to upend Loreauville High, 35-21.
“I challenged our offense before we came out here,” NV coach Brett Blakey said after his team evened its record at 2-2. “I told them our defense has been carrying the load, it’s time that we do our job and show up. I think we did.”
A 94-yard scoring drive that started late in the third quarter sparked a three-touchdown fourth quarter rally for the win.
The Patriots jumped ahead 14-0 in the first quarter on an 83-yard touchdown romp by Kiaron Rudd and two-yard run by Tucker Denais to cap a 55-yard scoring drive, but saw Loreauville rally for a 21-14 lead with a pair of TD runs by Evan Simon and a 19-yard scoring pass from quarterback Hayden Benoit to tight end Jack David Martin over the second and third quarters.
But North Vermilion held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way and scored three times in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Denais finished the game with 116 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and Rudd had 104 yards and two TDs on 11 totes.
“We’ve been talking for the last three or four weeks about being one block away, one missed assignment away,” Blakey said. “I feel like tonight we got those blocks, we got those assignments. There were a couple of times where we missed it but for the most part, it was there.
“We jumped into a couple of crazy formations because we thought it might allow us to gain some advantage, but at the end of the day it was our base stuff that allowed us to continue to push the ball down the field.”
After Loreauville missed a 24-yard field goal attempt on its opening drive, North Vermilion lost a few yards on a first-down play but Rudd broke down the right sideline on the next carry and went 83 yards to the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead following the PAT by Ian Schexnider.
After Denais scored the first of his three touchdowns on the next NVHS series, the Tigers went to their ground game behind Simon, who finished with 245 yards and two TDs on 28 carries, mixing in the touchdown pass, to take a 21-14 lead at the 7:12 mark of the third period.
Blakey said he out-thought himself with his playcalling in the second quarter, which slowed down the Patriots offense.
“If I don’t get cute in the second quarter with all those stupid formations, I’d like to believe that we couldn’t continued to drive the ball,” he said. “As a coach I feel I took a little momentum away from us.”
NV had planned before the game to use the passing game to set up the run, but the buck sweep and speed sweep were so successful at setting up the trap game that the Patriots didn’t have to pass, Blakey said. NV had a long 33-yard completion from Jag Broussard to Norris Benoit for its lone completion in five attempts.
“It’s a beautiful thing when it works the way it needs to work,” Blakey said of the run game.
North Vermilion got back on track offensively with the 94-yard drive to tie the score after a punt by the Tigers. A 44-yard run by Isaiah Whitlock on the first play got the Patriots to midfield, and an 18-yard carry by Whitlock a few plays later was enough to overcome a holding penalty against a receiver on the end of the play — a call disputed by the NV coaching staff. Whitlock added an 18-yard run later in the series.
“Man, it feels good,” Whitlock said of the win. “We went back to the basics (on offense), kind of just did what we could, and that’s what helped in the long run.”
Denais scored on a 31-yard carry with 11:06 remaining in the game and the PAT made it 21-all.
“Driving that ball 94 yards was huge,” said Blakey. “I think it’s just a will to fight in these kids. This is a special group of kids.
“I think we went three and out the second time and punted to them. To force them to punt back to us was huge for us. I looked at Jag and I told him, ‘You go tell these guys that we’re driving this ball 96 yards.’ And the very first play, we crossed midfield, and it was over after that. The confidence and the never-quit attitude that these guys showed tonight was amazing and unreal. I’m so proud of them. I’m super proud of them.”
The Tigers coughed the ball up on their second snap after the ensuing kickoff on a bad exchange between Benoit and Simon, and Noah Stelly pounced on the ball for North Vermilion at the 28 to set up the go-ahead drive. Denais capped the series with a 14-yard TD run, and Rudd added a four-yard touchdown run on the Patriots’ next series after the defense forced a three-and-out punt.
“We got the fumble right there, we were able to score, then turned them over on downs and then basically it was pretty much run out the clock and score,” Blakey said. “That run by Kiaron at the end, he’s hit in the backfield and basically dragged everybody three yards. That’s just wanting it more. We sat down with the seniors yesterday and said we’ve got to have a fire in us at all times, especially going into district play.”
“I just want to thank the crowd and everybody for coming out to support us,” Whitlock said.

It was the kind of game Abbeville head coach Roderick Moy was looking for.
The Wildcats (3-1) traveled to Arnaudville Friday to battle the Beau Chene Gators, who were 1-2 entering the game.
The Class 4A Gators had the size that could have caused the Wildcats’ fits. But it did not.
Abbeville (3-1) jumped out to a 29-0 first-half lead and cruised to a 41-2 victory.
The Wildcats racked up 453 yards rushing and 38 passing yards for 491 yards of offense.
“We played pretty well,” said Moy. “However, it was not a perfect game. We still have some things to clean up.”
Seven different Wildcats ran with the football.
Jaysen Shelvin had a great night.
Shelvin, a senior, had only four carries but scored twice.
He finished with 157 yards rushing, including TD runs of 32 yards and 63 yards.
Shelvin had a 32-yard TD run and also converted the two-point play for an 8-0 lead in the first quarter.
Braylon Moore scored Abbeville’s next two touchdowns, with runs of two and four yards.
The Wildcats went to the air for their fourth touchdown.
Quarterback Tahj Judge connected with Tazavian Andrews for a 29-yard TD pass that made it 29-0.
Shelvin capped off the night with a 63-yard touchdown run for a 35-0 lead.
Shelvin scored three touchdowns, including a 1-yard TD pass in the third quarter.
Moore had a season-high eight carries for 92 yards and two scores.
Tazavion Andrews rushed six times for 76 yards.
Tyrell Harrison had eight carries for 59 yards, and Tresean Green had five totes for 37 yards,
Shelvin caught two passes for nine yards, and Andrews had one reception for 29 yards.
Judge was 3 for 8 passing, for 38 yards, and two scores.
Abbeville is back in action on Thursday against West St. Mary (0-4).

Food trucks can make dining a unique experience.
More could soon be making their way to Abbeville.
During Tuesday’s regular meeting, the Abbeville City Council voted to lift its moratorium on food trucks, which had been put in place not long after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Roslyn White said the timing is appropriate.
“The moratorium was put in place because of COVID and the government’s restrictions on restaurants,” White said. “I think that’s now subsided. I think the timing is right, but it is a vote of this council.”
White explained that the issue had been discussed with City Attorney Bart Broussard and Sarah Alpough, the city’s director of revenue, regulatory codes & permits.
“It was decided it was probably best to lift the moratorium now,” White said, “with our existing ordinance.”
An ordinance regarding food trucks had been in place before the moratorium. That ordinance allows up to five food trucks to operate within the city limits per year. However, those food trucks cannot operate within 150 feet of the front door of an existing food establishment.
“It also states that they have to be on private property,” White said, “with permission from the property owner. They have to provide that proof and proof that they are licensed under the state board of health.”
Along with lifting the moratorium, the council voted to require potential food truck operators to obtain a permit that must be approved by the council.
The discussion also included potentially increasing the distance trucks can operate from the front door of a restaurant from 150 feet to 300 feet. That issue could be taken up at a future ordinance committee meeting.
While food trucks continue to remain popular, an increasingly popular way to bring them customers is on food truck lots. Gerard Baudoin, a business owner who attended Tuesday’s meeting, said he has plans to create such a lot in Abbeville. There are already food truck lots in Erath, Kaplan and Maurice.
“The food truck industry is booming,” Baudoin said. “Abbeville may be the only city without a food truck lot. They will go if you provide a nice environment for a food truck to park. That is the trend.”
White said other people have been interested in opening food truck lots.
“We will need to look at what parameters are going to be put in place for a food truck lot,” White said.
Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. had shared his concerns about food trucks since the implementation of the moratorium. He said he is not against the operation and certainly does not want to ban them.
“The problem I had in the past is these trucks have parked in front of our businesses that we already have in existence,” Touchet said. “I don’t want to hurt a business in Abbeville.”
Baudoin said having food truck lots would help alleviate those concerns. He said food truck operators prefer to be on lots.
“That’s what these food truck owners are looking for,” Baudoin said. “We don’t want to be by ourselves.”
Touchet reiterated that his stance had been about one thing.
“For the record,” Touchet said, “I am not against food trucks. I want to protect the businesses that we have.”

DELCAMBRE – Linzy Moriah Comeaux, age 31, passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in Abbeville surrounded by her loving family.
Linzy was born in Vermilion Parish on January 3, 1991, to Wendy Comeaux Monceaux and was one of three children.
Linzy was a kind and light hearted girl who enjoyed the company of her family and caretakers. She was born with Trisomy 13, a rare genetic disorder, and was given a 10% chance to survive past her first year of life. Not only did she shatter that expectation, Linzy thrived until her passing at the age of 31. To have known her was to love her, for her happiness and love for others radiated from deep within her soul and was such a contagious thing. She was adopted by a community of people who cared for her with undying affection and compassion. Linzy was a light in this world and she will be will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved her.
Those left to cherish her memory is her mother, Wendy Comeaux Monceaux; sister, Kaylyn “Kei Vincent” Monceaux; brother, Trey A. “Sonnyboy” Monceaux; aunts and uncles, Blake Comeaux (Christy), Todd Comeaux (Missy), Marty Comeaux (Haroldlyn), Darla LeBlanc (Kenneth), Faron Comeaux (Tina), and Owen Comeaux (Meera); and dedicated caretakers, Jackie Landry and Brenda Navarre.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Earless J. Comeaux and Elaine Comeaux, of whom she missed so, so dearly, for which we rejoice in knowing that they are now reunited again.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Linzy at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church with Fr. Buddy Breaux officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at the funeral home in Delcambre on Friday, September 23, 2022 from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm with a rosary being prayed at 6:30pm by the St. Anne’s Altar Society. The funeral home will reopen at 8:00 am until the time of service.
Those honored to serve as pallbearers will be Blake Comeaux, Owen Comeaux, Faron Comeaux, Marty Comeaux, Eric LeBlanc, and Brock Comeaux.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jace Ryder and Gage Comeaux.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Hospice of Acadiana, Dr. Claude Meeks, Dr. Powlin Manual, and Linzy’s many dedicated caretakers for their kindness and compassion.
To view the on-line obituary and sign the online guest register, please visit www.evangelinefuneralhome.com.
Evangeline Funeral Home of Delcambre is in charge of arrangements.