By Dave Woodall

L’Observateur

EDGARD – The quarterfinal game between the West St. John Rams and the Oak Grove Tigers turned out to be a game within a game as the No. 3 seed Tigers played dead in the first half but came out looking like a new team in the second half to take the 28-12 victory over the No. 6 seeded Rams.

WSJ Coach Robert Valdez was prophetic before the game saying, “Oak Grove is a very well coached and a well balanced team. We will have to stop their running team to have a chance.”

His defense did just that in the first half but was blown out in the second half thanks to an overpowering Tiger offensive line that had their way with the Rams.

Oak Grove’s Kendrick Jackson stole the show rushing for 159 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. Jacob Pippin, the Tiger fullback lumbered for 66 yards and scored three of the four Tiger touchdowns.

The first half turned out to be a clinic on gaining field position and who would make the most turnovers.

Oak Grove threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the first half while WSJ lost a fumble of their own.

After a WSJ punt from their own three-yard line the Tigers took over on the WSJ 30-yard line and needed only three plays to punch it in. Pippin went eight yards for the first touchdown of the game with only 3:13 left in the first half. Jackson booted the PAT to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

WSJ answered on their next possession using nine plays to go 60 yards to get on the board. The scoring drive culminated in a 15-yard pass from Dray Joseph to Jairus Moll. Unfortunately for the Rams, the PAT was no good, making it 7-6 at halftime.

The Tigers came out in the second half on a mission.

They mounted a 12-play, 89-yard drive to score with 4:45 remaining in the third period. Pippin took it in again this time from one yard out. Jackson’s PAT was true again to give the Tigers some breathing room at 14-6.

But the Rams came right back with a four-play drive to answer the Tiger score.

Joseph hit Corey Warmington with a pretty 19-yard touchdown pass to narrow the margin to 14-12 as the Rams failed again to convert the PAT.

From then on it was all down hill for the Rams.

With 10:26 left in the game, Jackson scampered 25 yards for a Tiger touchdown. Jackson converted on his third consecutive PAT to boost the Tiger lead to 21-12.

Following WSJ’s failure to convert on a fourth down try, Oak Grove took over at midfield. Eleven plays later Pippin banged in from one yard out for his third touchdown of the game. Jackson was good again on the extra point to give Oak Grove a 28-12 cushion with only 3:50 left on the clock.

The Rams threw up a desperation pass on their next possession and Oak Grove’s Cole Pippin picked it off to end the Rams hopes.

WSJ had a dismal night on the ground rushing for minus-14 yards.

Their passing game was respectable as Joseph hit on 15 of 24 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown.

Oak Grove’s rushing attack turned out to be the difference.

The Tigers rolled for 301 yards on 52 carries. In the passing game they could only muster two of six for only 19 yards.

Tiger head coach Vic Dalrymple was pleased with the play of his Tigers.

“I told the kids at halftime that we needed to turn it up a notch and our offensive line did just that.

“We’ve taken two big jumps in our execution the last two weeks and it has really become a group effort out there.”

WSJ ends it season with a 8-5 mark while Oak Grove, now 11-2 on the season, moves on to the semifinals to face South Plaquemine on the road.