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Block hosts Mangham
After Block High's football team finished its season on Thursday, November 3, Bear head coach Benny Vault Jr., went to watch Class 1A Mangham play Class 2A Menard the following night in Alexandria.
The unbeaten Dragons defeated Menard 24-21 and earned a No. 4 ranking in Class A for the playoffs.
"When I left that game I saw about six people from Menard and I told them to have me some Thanksgiving food cooked up that week because I knew we were going to be matched up," Vault said. "The brackets had not even come out, but I just had that feeling."
Vault's prophecy is taking place this week, as the No. 12 Bears, coming off a 34-26 upset win over No. 5 St. Martin's Episcopal in Metairie Friday, host Mangham Friday.
The win over St. Martin's was even more of a huge feat for the Bears, who have seen several playoff ventures end at West St. John and St. Plaquemines.
"This is the first time Block has ever won a playoff game down around New Orleans," said Vault, who is in his fifth year as head coach at his alma mater. "This was definitely my biggest win. We beat Cedar Creek (26-10 in the 2008 regionals) before losing to South Plaquemines, but this one was a lot more memorable because we had to fight from behind and the excitement after the game was something I will never forget."
Heading into the fourth quarter, St. Martin's appeared poised to pick up another playoff victory and advance to the Class 1A quarterfinal round.
Block rallied from a two-touchdown third-quarter deficit with three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Running back Vashawn Davis rushed for 173 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns to lead the Bears. Quarterback Trevor Vault completed only four passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
The Bears rushed for 370 yards.
The Saints appeared headed for victory at the end of the third quarter, leading 26-14.
But Block came back quickly in the fourth quarter.
The Bears drove 63 yards in six plays for a touchdown on the ensuing possession. They grabbed the lead with 8:09 left to play with a four-play, 60-yard drive.
Davis ran 27 yards for the score and Devante Vault put the Bears ahead for good with a two-point conversion run.
"We threw five passes and completed four, three for touchdowns," Vault said. "They had everybody up to stop our speed sweep. Our guys played hard and never gave up."
Vault also said a non-district schedule that included Ferriday, Rayville, Donaldsonville and Bossier helped out.
"I don't think we will see anything in the playoffs we haven't seen this season," Vault said. "Playing bigger schools we had to battle for four quarters."
Mangham defeated Cedar Creek 42-13 Friday night.
Mangham's Shaquille Ausberry, who rushed for 143 yards, scored on runs of 52, 1 and 77 yards on the Dragons' first three possessions.
Cedar Creek cut the lead to 21-6 before Mangham's Artez Nichols scored on a 20-yard touchdown run.
Nichols finished with 130 rushing yards.
Nichols' 2-yard run two plays later all but sealed the win with a 35-13 lead early in the third quarter.
Mangham is currently 12-0 on the season and seeded No. 4 in Class A power ratings.
"The thing with Ausberry is that you have to tackle him early before he gets going," Vault said. "He's hard to tackle. And Nichols is real quick and has a quick change of pace. Hopefully we are big enough in the middle to slow them down. It just might be a track meet." |
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