But the Bobcats returned the second half kickoff deep into CHS territory to set up a short scoring drive and turned a pair of CHS fumbles into two more short scoring opportunities, and that opened the floodgates for three third-quarter touchdowns to blow open what had been a 7-0 game at halftime.
Eunice (2-0), ranked third in the most recent Class 4A high school polls, added a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns for a 42-0 win over the Panthers (1-1).
  
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While the score got out of hand late, the Panthers made a game of it early. After being forced to punt on their first possession, CHS forced a fumble on the return and Christian Viator recovered for the Panthers at the Eunice 34.
A 15-yard pass from Taylor Bullock to Ryan Gonsoulin moved the ball to the 14 for a first down, and three plays later, Bullock threw to Devin Boutte on a slip screen. Boutte eluded a handful of tacklers and got some good blocking to get all the way to the goal line for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty for an illegal shift wiped out the play and the Panthers had a field goal attempt partially blocked on fourth down from the 14, keeping the game scoreless.
Brodie said the official told him that one of the linemen was not set while a receiver was in motion, leading to the penalty.
“If we would’ve taken the lead in the beginning, I don’t think (the outcome) would have been different, but it would’ve been better,” said Brodie.
Eunice used the final 4:13 of the first quarter to drive into CHS territory, then scored on a 39-yard sweep around right end by wingback Nick Frank on the first play of the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead, following the point-after by Jeffery Burge.
Neither team scored again in the half, with CHS punting the ball away twice. One Eunice punt return for a touchdown was called back because of a holding penalty, and CHS cornerback Nick Domingue twice intercepted EHS quarterback Mitchell Fuselier, once on a throw up the left sideline and once on a throw up the right sideline to the goal line. Both times, Domingue was in perfect position and leaped in front of the intended receiver to make the pick.
“He did a great job,” said Brodie. “Coach (Marcques) Lewis is the defensive backs coach and he works real hard with them. Nick’s one of those kids who didn’t play last year. He came out in the spring and worked real hard.”
“They were taking away the deep routes we had (run successfully) the first game,” said Trosclair. “I think we got a little greedy. In the first half they really played well. They had a good gameplan.”
But the Panthers’ youth, and the Bobcats’ experience, showed in the second half, Trosclair said. Eunice gained 206 of its 345 rushing yards in the second half, and took advantage of the Panthers’ two second-half fumbles and a second-half interception to complete the shutout.
“We went basic,” he said. “We went with base plays, inside traps and buck sweeps.”
Tyler Collins led the Bobcats with 120 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Frank finished with 64 yards and touchdown runs of 39 and 21 yards. Darryl Thomas rushed for 34 yards, Trey Ceasar added 26 yards and a TD and Jonas Edwards had a 37-yards TD run for his only carry of the game.
CHS, forced to pass to catch up, finished with negative rushing yardage. Bullock completed 11 of 20 passes for 111 yards with the late interception. Boutte had three receptions for 43 yards, Thomas Theriot had five catches for 35 yards and Gonsoulin had two catches for 33 yards.
“Overall I thought we had a good gameplan, it’s just all of a sudden we got behind and we had to change it,” said Brodie. “I thought (Bullock) did a good job keeping his composure.
“Unfortunately it rained and that played a part several times in the game. (Bullock) had the ball slip out of his hands, and we slipped one time going to the end zone. But they played in the same thing. We came up against a good football team. I thought we played at times as well as we could.”
The Panthers travel to Franklin on Thursday to meet the Hornets, who are looking for their first win of the season.
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