The Westgate Tigers are hurting.

Not from losses or missed opportunities or anything mental, but rather physically, they’re hurting.

“We’re pretty banged up right now,” said Westgate coach Brian Fine. “Last week against Shaw, we had both of our running backs injured and it was up to Diontae (Spencer) to run the ball for us.”

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The WHS quarterback did a good enough job running the ball as Westgate stunned then No. 3 ranked Archbishop Shaw 18-14 to improve to 2-1 on the season.

It’s been a rough and tumble and physical first three weeks of the season for Westgate as the Tigers faced three straight ranked teams to open the season, Class 4A power Breaux Bridge, Class 3A giant Patterson and Class 5A Shaw.

Friday night, the Tigers take to the road to face another traditional power, the Eunice Bobcats.

Eunice High, a longtime Class 4A team, dropped down to Class 3A in the last reclassification but is still considered one of the favorites to go deep into the playoffs.

But the Bobcats enter week four in the same condition as Westgate, banged up after a rough three-week opening stretch that saw EHS beat Opelousas (34-13), then drop consecutive games to Jennings (28-6) and Lafayette High (15-9).

What also hurts Eunice is that star receiver Tharold Simon, who’s verbally committed to LSU, reinjured his shoulder last week against Lafayette High and is expected to miss Friday’s game.

Spencer will again lead the Westgate offense. The quarterback has 176 yards rushing and 298 yards passing through three games.

Jeanerette at Morgan City

Friday’s nights game between Jeanerette and Morgan City can neatly be summed up in one sentence �” the state’s leading rusher versus a team that has given up an average of 35 points per game.

Jeanerette’s Anthony Williams officially became the leading rusher in the state last week with 224 yards against Avoyelles. Through three games Williams has rushed for 704 yards, 31 yards more than Patterson’s Kenny Hilliard, who has 673.

Williams has also scored 60 points for the Tigers this year on nine touchdowns and three 2-point conversions, which is 39 more points than Morgan City has scored as a team (21).

Morgan City gave up 54 points to Walker in week one, 27 to Berwick in week two and 25 points to Bogalusa last week.

Erath at West St. Mary

The Erath Bobcats return to the scene of one of the better goal line stands in recent memory this week.

In the 2003 playoffs, Erath quarterback Derrick Fourroux, now starting at McNeese, was stopped by West St. Mary’s Harry Coleman, now starting at LSU, and Nick Persilver at the 1-yard line on a 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter as the Wolfpack beat the Bobcats 28-27 in the regional round of the playoffs.

This time, it’s a regular-season matchup when Erath (2-1) travels to West St. Mary (0-3).

The Bobcats are looking to build momentum after beating Vermilion Catholic 20-0 last week while the Wolfpack (0-3) is still looking for its first win of the year after losing to Loreauville last week.

Merryville at Hanson

Homecoming at Hanson finds the Tigers (0-3) playing host to the Merryville Panthers (2-1).

Hanson has struggled through the first three weeks of the season, dropping games to Ascension Catholic (35-6), Loreauville (34-6) and Lake Arthur (49-7).

Merryville lost its season opener to South Beauregard (47-14) but has since beaten Pickering (24-7) and East Beauregard (36-12) in consecutive weeks.