Westgate shocks Karr to earn first state title game appearance

NEW ORLEANS – To win at Behrman Stadium and to defeat Class 4A powerhouse Karr it its home facility is the ultimate rarity.

That was the task presented to No. 5 seed Westgate.

Making the task more daunting was the fact that Karr was the unbeaten top seed, a hungry group of Cougars eager to atone for losing in the final in 2020.

Suffice it to say that the Tigers were up to the task, shocking Karr 27-20 before a packed house in a game heard live on NASH ICON 106.1 FM.

The last time Karr lost a game in Behrman Stadium was when Landry-Walker had a quarterback named Keytaon Thompson and that was six years ago.

Senior quarterback Jordan Doucet was the difference maker on offense for Westgate.

Doucet rushed 14 times for 100 yards and completed 12-of-25 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown with and a pair of interceptions.

Defensively, senior linebacker Zyion Madison was all over the field with a sack, a host of tackles and he recovered a fumble on a sack of A.J. Samuel with 24 seconds remaining at the Westgate 40-yard line to seal the deal. It was the second fumble recovery of the game for Madison.

The Tigers were all over Samuel all night, sacking him eight times.

Westgate never trailed in the game.

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead with 5:29 to play in the first quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Dylan Bourque which was set up by a sack and fumble recovery by Madison.

Westgate then surprised Karr with an onside kick which Keyon Joseph recovered at the Karr 49-yard line.

It took the Tigers four plays to add to the lead when Doucet hit Amaaz Eugene with a 38-yard touchdown pass to cap a four play drive to make it 10-0 with 4:25 to play in the opening quarter.

It stayed that way until late in the first half when the Cougars finally finished a drive, going 80 yards in eight plays, taking 1:49 to do so with Samuel hitting Aaron Anderson on a 14-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-6 with 54 seconds to play in the half.

Ryan Robinson came up with his second interception of a Doucet pass to end the half.

It remained 10-6 into the fourth quarter when Westgate padded the lead, driving 76 yards in 11 games, taking 4:46 off the clock with Derek Williams scoring on a 1-yard run to make it 17-6 with 10:50 to play in the game.

Karr answered quickly, driving 56 yards in four plays with Samuel racing 15 yards for a touchdown. Samuel ran for the 2-point conversion to make it 17-14 with 9:32 to play in the game.

Undaunted, Westgate came right back, driving 59 yards in four plays with Williams scoring on a run straight up the middle from 34 yards out to increase the lead to 24-14 with 7:21 to play in the game.

The Cougars fought back again, scoring quickly on a 42-yard pass from Samuel to Anderson to cut the Westgate lead to 24-20 after a missed 2-point conversion with 6:54 to play in the game.

Once again, Westgate had an answer, driving 71 yards in 10 plays, taking an important 4:54 off the clock with Bourque kicking a 26-yard field goal to make it 27-20 with two minutes to play in the game.

Karr had one final chance.

Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff the Karr 40-yard line.

Samuel ran 20 yards to the Westgate 40 and Deantre Jackson ran four yards to the 36 but with under a minute to play, Karr had a false start penalty before Samuel was sacked. Then came the decisive play with another sack, resulting in the fumble which Madison recovered.

Eugene finished with five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Samuel completed 12-of-24 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns to Anderson, who finished with five catches for 98 yards.

Westgate (12-2) advances to the 4A state championship game next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. to take on No. 3 Warren Easton, who went to No. 2 Neville and ripped the Tigers 45-17.

Whomever wins will make history.

A Westgate win would be the first in program history.

A Warren Easton win would be the first since 1942.

Something has to give.

On Friday, Westgate refused to give in to the large shadow cast by Karr (11-1), which saw its streak of five straight appearances in the state championship game come to an end.

FINAL
WESTGATE 10 0 0 17 27
KARR 0 6 0 14 20

Scoring:
1st Qtr.
Westgate—Dylan Bourque, 32-yard field goal
Westgate—Amaaz Eugene, 38-yard pass from Jordan Doucet

2nd Qtr.
Karr—Aaron Anderson, 14-yard pass from A.J. Samuel (kick failed)

4th Qtr.
Westgate—Derek Williams, 1-yard run (Dylan Bourque kick)
Karr—A.J. Samuel, 15-yard run (A.J. Samuel run)
Westgate—Derek Williams, 34-yard run (Dylan Bourque kick)
Karr—Aaron Anderson, 42-yard pass from A.J. Samuel (run failed)
Westgate—Dylan Bourque, 26-yard field goal

First Downs:
Westgate 17, Karr 16

Penalties:
Westgate 10 for 90 yards, Karr 9 for 82 yards

Sacks:
Westgate 8, Karr 4

Turnovers:
Westgate 3, Karr 2

Rushing Yards:
Westgate 244, Karr 118

Passing Yards:
Westgate 197, Karr 174

Total Yards:
Westgate 441, Karr 292

Individual Rushing:
Westgate—Jordan Doucet 14 carries for 100 yards, Steven Antoine 12 carries for 64 yards, Derek Williams 10 carries for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns, Dedrick Latulas 5 carries for 22 yards, Danny Lewis 1 carry for 0 yards

Karr—Jaylin Lucas 2 carries for 55 yards, A.J. Samuel 13 carries for 40 yards, Kemau Dorsey 1 carry for 9 yards, Jawin Newman 1 carry for 5 yards, Deantre Jackson 1 carry for 4 yards, Kyler Lampton 1 carry for 9 yards, Christopher Vasquez 6 carries for 4 yards

Individual Passing:
Westgate—Jordan Doucet 12-of-25 for 197 yards and 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, Brennan Landry 1-of-2 for 5 yards, 1 interception

Karr—A.J. Samuel 12-of-24 for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns

Individual Receiving:
Westgate—Amaaz Eugene 5 catches for 82 yards, Danny Lewis 3 catches for 42 yards, Brennan Landry 2 catches for 44 yards, Dedrick Latulas 2 catches for 19 yards, Jordan Doucet 1 catch for 5 yards

Karr—Aaron Anderson 5 catches for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns, Jaylin Lucas 2 catches for 21 yards, Deantre Jackson 2 catches for 23 yards, Khamani Simmons 1 catch for 16 yards, Shyves Johnson 1 catch for 14 yards, Christopher Vasquez 1 catch for 2 yards