Belle Chasse buries Parkway with second-half outburst, 43-16

BELLE CHASSE – Belle Chasse came into the postseason looking for their first Division I (Non Select) playoff win. The Cardinals also had to figure out how to accomplish that goal without injured starting quarterback Amari Ambrose.

Jaedon Voisin and Jacob Black put the team on their backs Friday night with outstanding performances, leading Belle Chasse to a 43-16 first round victory over Parkway at The Cage.

Points were hard to come by early for both teams. Parkway (7-4) led 3-0 in the second quarter with a 47-yard field goal by LSU commitment Aeron Burrell. Antonio Gladney scampered for a 5-yard touchdown extending the lead to 10-0.

Belle Chasse (7-3) tried to figure things out offensively. Voisin has played on the defensive side of the ball all season. He took the bull by the horns on offense and filled amajor void behind center. He lofted a 67-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Carter, cutting the lead to 10-7 at the half.

“Parkway didn’t have any film on me because didn’t play offense all year. So it really couldn’t game plan,” said Voisin. “It helps when you have people like Jacob Black take the blows and not worrying about four or five people who can carry the ball. We need to take this momentum from the second half, take that to the next game, and hopefully continue that throughout the playoffs.”

The Cardinals had an offensive explosion in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 36-6.

Voisin set the tone with a 72-yard scamper to the Parkway’s five yard line. Two plays later, Voisin pounded in a two-yard touchdown, giving the Cardinals a 14-10 lead they never relinquished.

Parkway fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Belle Chasse recovered at the Panthers 14-yard line. The Cardinals took advantage with a four-yard touchdown by Voisin to lead 21-10.

“Our offensive coaches did a great job with adjustments,” said Belle Chasse Head Coach Stephen Meyers. “I don’t know if our kids believed that we can win. But we told them that we can win this game. Coaches are expected to win. At halftime, they said we’re going to win this game.”

Parkway stayed within striking distance when Kaleb Williams connected with Le’Broderick Mayweather for a 55-yard touchdown to trail 21-16 after a failed two-point try.

Belle Chasse answered with another big play. Voisin hit Black for 68 yards to the Panthers 17 yard line. Voisin ended the drive with a 21-yard touchdown to make it 28-16.

With Voisin putting in some serious work, Black was ready to finish the job. Black ran for touchdowns from 19 and 50 yards out to cap a fourth quarter barrage.

“It’s a great job by the players. Voisin and Jacob Black really stepped up big time tonight. This is what you expect from your senior leaders. We’re playing Destrehan and everybody knows Destrehan. It’s a great football program. All we can do is work hard, learn, don’t make mental mistakes and do the best that we can. We’re gonna go over there and give it our all,” said Meyers.

Belle Chasse accounted for over 400 yards of total offense that includes five plays over 50 yards. Voisin led the Cardinals with 17 carries for 140 yards and three touchdowns and he completed 2-of-3 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Voisin had seven tackles, including one for loss and had a pair of quarterback hits. Black finished with over 150 total yards and three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving).

“We had three quarterbacks that practiced this week and I was the last resort,” said Black. “My fellow teammates really played a really good game until I had to step in. We still won and it’s so amazing.”

Parkway had over 150 yards of total offense. Mayweather led the Panthers with over 90 yards receiving and a touchdown. Gladney finished with over 50 yards rushing and a touchdown. Parkway head coach Coy Brotherton has 10 starters returning next season with the majority of the returners on offense including Williams and Gladney.

“It’s hard to travel this far and play in. Hats off to our kids for the heart they showed and what they did,” said Brotherton. “The 1st half went our way. We had a couple of bad breaks and mishaps. It kind of gets out of hand at the end. We had 19 seniors that poured into the program for 4 years. I’m proud of what they done by leaving this program better than they found it. I hope these young guys learned a lot from them and continue to build on their success.”

Belle Chasse advances to the second round of the Division I (Non-Select) playoffs to travel to face the defending Division I state champions, No. 3 seeded Destrehan next Friday.