Perrilloux ejected in third quarter

By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

LAPLACE – Despite star quarterback Ryan Perrilloux being ejected from the game late in the third quarter for unsportsmanlike conduct, the East St. John Wildcats downed the visiting H.L. Bourgeois Braves by a 35-27 score.

However, before he left the game, Perrilloux accounted for four of the Wildcats’ touchdowns, the other coming from backup quarterback Ricky Dixon.

The first quarter featured the two teams slamming neck-and-neck, angling for the upper hand. Bourgeois accepted the opening kickoff and in four plays, boomed in for the touchdown, fullback Jarrod Fanguy scoring from four yards out.

His TD, however, was set up by Richard Barrow’s 50-yard run in the first play from scrimmage, from their own 20 to the Wildcat 30-yard line.

The PAT was good, and the Braves were up 7-0 with 10:25 on the clock.

However, the Wildcats were ready with surprises of their own, Perrilloux taking the opening kickoff nearly to midfield.

Seven plays later, Perrilloux scored on an 8-yard run. However, the PAT try failed, and the Wildcats trailed 7-6 with 7:32 on the clock.

Soon after the next kickoff, on the third play Adrian Richardson intercepted a Braves pass at HLB’s 37-yard line. However, East St. John was intercepted on the very next play by Avery Campbell at the HLB 11 yard line. The effort went for naught, and soon, the Braves punted away.

On this possession, though, Perrilloux drove the Wildcats from midfield, the point where he took the punt return, to his next score, a 4-yard run with 1:18 on the clock.

On a two-point conversion, Perrilloux connected with Dixon to ease East St. John into a 14-7 lead.

As the game moved into the second quarter, possession see-sawed until the Braves scored to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive, which ended in a Fanguy 15-yard scramble. With the PAT, the game was tied at 14-all with 1:22 left in the half.

East St. John accepted the second half kickoff, with running back Stanley Jackson returning the ball to the Braves 46-yard line. On the next play Perrilloux carried, fumbled near the 15 and Dixon recovered on the 13 yard line. On the next play, Dixon scored with 11:16 on the clock. The PAT boosted it to 21-14.

HLB’s next possession ended in a punt to near midfield, and Perrilloux scored on the second play with 7:18 on the third quarter clock, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct call at the same time. The PAT from the 25-yard line was good for the 28-14 lead.

HLB’s Fanguy scored on their next possession, a 1-yard run with 4:30 remaining in the third, to keep the Braves in the game, trailing 28-21.

Then, Perrilloux scored his last TD, a 23-yard run, and again drew an unsportsmanlike conduct call and ejection from the game. The score was 35-21 and looked to stay that way.

After a series of fumbles on each side, HLB’s Ross Schexnayder scored on a 94-yard run with 1:06 left in the game. The PAT fell short, and the game soon ended with 35-27 on the clock.