‘It’s a shame one team has to lose’; North Vermilion stuffs Ascension in OT – The Daily Advertiser

Bruce Brown, Special to the Advertiser Published 12:48 a.m. CT Sept. 21, 2019

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YOUNGSVILLE It was memorable, kind of an instant classic like the Saints vs. Texans that quickly finds itself nestled in replay heaven.

The North Vermilion Patriots swarmed Ascension Episcopal quarterback Cole Simon's overtime keeper, halting a 2-point conversion attempt to preserve a 23-22 comeback win on the road.

It's a shame one team has to lose a game like this, said NVHS coach Brett Blakey. It was a great game.

Blakey was on the other side just a year ago, losing on Ascension'sfinal overtime conversion, so he's an authority on the feeling.

This was a testament to effort. To putting the work in. To coming in three times a week in the summer and sacrificing two hours away from home to get better. It was a fun game that went back and forth between two good teams. It's what it's all about. I love playing in games like this. They make you better.

Blue Gators coach Matt Desormeaux knows the flip side now, too, as his team dropped to 2-1 on the year.

The Blue Gators led 16-7 at half but couldn't close the deal after the break.

Senior quarterback Darius Gilliam stung the Gators with a 10-yard score on the first play of overtime. Patrick Chapman made the extra point, and the NVHS defense stopped a 2-point try by Ascension to secure victory.

North Vermilion's Darius Giliam runs the ball against Blue Gator defenders as the North Vermilion Patriots face off against Ascension Episcopal Blue Gators Friday, Sept. 20, 2019.(Photo: Andre Broussard/Special to The Advertiser)

This was a testament to effort, Blakey said. To putting the work in.

To coming in three times a week in the summer and sacrificing two hours away from home to get better.

It was a fun game that went back and forth between two good teams. It's what it's all about. I love playing in games like this. They make you better.

The Patriots won by shutting out the Gators in second half regular time, rallying from 16-7 down at halftime to force a 16-16 deadlock.

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They won despite having one field goal squashed by a bad snap to holder Noah LeBlanc with 5:55 to play in a tie game.

They survived a second potentially deadly blow when a point blank field goal was blocked by the Gators in the final 4 seconds of regulation.

They did the kind of things winning teams have to do in crunch time.

They also won because Ascension Episcopal saw a fumble go through the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback instead of increasing a 16-13 third period lead.

Give them credit, Desormeaux said. They played hard and made the plays they needed to make. We didn't play very clean. There was the fumble, and we made to many mistakes, costly penalties that set us back.

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But, make no mistake, the Patriots earned the win.

Gilliam was brilliant. He ran 22 times for 117 yards including a 2-yarder for NVHS'first score and the winning 10 yarder.

That touchdown run in overtime was special, Blakey said.

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Gilliam also hit 11-of-12 passes, barely missing just once, for 155 yards and a 38-yard score to Zack Necaise.

We moved Zack from outside to inside receiver this week, and he came up with a huge game for us, said Blakey.

Ascension moved effectively on the ground when it avoided penalties especially Asa Freeman, who powered his way to 197 yards on 22 carries, mainly between the tackles.

North Vermilion's Collin Trahan tackles Ascension Episcopal's Asa Freeman as the North Vermilion Patriots face off against Ascension Episcopal Blue Gators Friday, Sept. 20, 2019.(Photo: Andre Broussard/Special to The Advertiser)

We like the inside running game, Desormeaux said, and Asa did a good job.

The Gators used a 19-yard punt return by Andrew Stolzenthaler to set up a 25-yard drive to 7-0 on a 6-yard run by Simon. NVHS tied it at 7 on Gilliam's first score.

Jaime Cordova's 22-yard thrust gave Ascension a 13-7 lead, and a drive before halftime was capped by freshman Peyton Woodring's 33-yard field goal for a 16-7 lead at the break.

But North Vermilion (2-1) proved resilient, as Necaise eluded defenders for a 38-yard score to close within 16-13 on the first possession of the third quarter.

A goalline hit on Cordova transformed a TD into a touchback, inspiring a tying drive with Chapman's 28-yard field goal.

NVHS'two blunted field goal tries followed, leading to overtime.

Once there, Gilliam turned up the heat with his 10-yarder. Simon responded by hitting a fourth down pass that Matt Remondet brought in with a circus catch for a 4-yard score.

That set the stage for the final drama, as Simon was swarmed on a keeper.

I had the tight end on the play, Noah LeBlanc said. I was supposed to cover him if he went out. But he didn't go out, so I got in on the tackle.

We'll always fight to the end, Gilliam said. This was a real test for us.

One they passed with flying colors.

We sat down with members of the Ascension Episcopal football team at our 2019 Prep Media Day to get to know them a little better. Caitlin Jacob, Daily Advertiser

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'It's a shame one team has to lose'; North Vermilion stuffs Ascension in OT - The Daily Advertiser