Notre Dame rallies from 28 down to edge Kinder, 38-37

KINDER, La. – With the start of week six of high school football season comes the start of district play for most teams and it was no different for the Kinder Yellow Jackets and the number one team in Class 2A, the Notre Dame Pioneers, in a District 5-2A showdown.

Kinder was able to make a statement early by running out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter but a late field goal gave Notre Dame just enough to escape the upset bid, 38-37.

After giving up 21 unanswered points and what was a four touchdown lead, the Yellow Jackets finally found their way back to the end zone on a 53-yard touchdown run by Thomas Roberts to retake the lead in the final quarter, 37-35.

The first eight minutes of the fourth quarter proved to be a defensive slugfest before a 23-yard field goal by John William Lamm broke the stalemate and gave the lead back to Notre Dame for good.

“We jumped out to an early lead but we knew Notre Dame would battle back and that’s what they did,” said Kinder head coach Bret Fuselier.

Kinder had one last drive but turned the ball over on downs to seal the escape for the Pios.

“We overcame a lot of adversity in this game,” said Notre Dame head coach Lewis Cook.

Distractions came off the field well before kick off as well. A Notre Dame senior passed away this week after a two-year battle with leukemia.

“For 90 percent of my players to be sitting in a church in Church Point for a funeral from 11-1 today then get back, eat a pregame meal, get on the bus and go down 28-0 and come back and win, I tip my hat to Kinder but especially to my guys.”

The Yellow Jackets pounced on the powerhouse Pios with a seven yard passing touchdown from Trent Johnson to Jordan Cordova, a 24-yard touchdown run by Hayden Thomas, a 30-yard interception return for touchdown by Keyon Pugh and a 74-yard run by Johnson.

Notre Dame finally came to life with a 63-yard touchdown pass from Garrett Bergeron to Waylon Bourgeois and a one yard touchdown run by Bergeron to cut the Kinder lead to 28-14 with 5:21 left.

Zack Lafargue kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give Kinder what seemed like a commanding 31-14 lead heading into halftime.

“We have a lot of young guys in the lineup,” said Fuselier. “They are starting to get the picture and we are getting a little bit better every week and I feel that this was our best effort this season.”

“The game was intense and it was fun to play and that is what high school football is all about,” said Kinder lineman Joey McNeely. “I’m not satisfied with the loss but we played our butts off and it is a step forward.”

Next week, Kinder (3-3, 0-1) will head on the road to take on Ville Platte (2-4, 0-1) while Notre Dame (5-0, 1-0) will be at home against Lake Charles Prep (2-4, 1-2).

SCORE BY QUARTER
NDC 0 14 21 3 — 38
KHS 21 10 0 6 — 37

TEAM LEADERS

Notre Dame

Waylon Bourgeois
12 carries, 136 total yards, 3 total TD

Garrett Bergeron
9/19, 179 yards, 3 total TD, 2 INT

John William Lamm
1/1 FG, Long 35 (Game Winner), 5/5 PAT, 2 tackles

Kinder

Trent Johnson
5/12, 200 total yards, 2 total TD, 1 INT

Hayden Thomas
11 carries, 88 total yards, 1 TD run

Jordan Cordova
1/2, 3 carries, 3 catches, 57 total yards, 1 receiving TD