The Natchitoches Central football team again took command in the second half and remained unbeaten, overwhelming Airline in the District 1-5A opener for both teams.
The Chiefs smothered the Vikings’ offense all night, spoiling Airline’s homecoming. NCHS failed to convert three drives inside the Vikings’ 35, getting as close as the 19, hampered by penalties that helped contain the damage to Airline.
FINAL SCORE: NCHS 28, Airline 7
GAME SITE: Bossier City (Viking Stadium)
RECORDS: NCHS Chiefs (4-0 overall, 1-0 in District 1-5A) Airline Vikings (0-4, 0-1)
SCORING PLAYS:
NC – Caylin Demars 5 run (Sam Maggio kick), 2:09 1st, NCHS 7-0
A – Cameron Jefferson 57 pass from Ladarius Epps (Ben Jump kick), 0:53 1st, tied 7-7
NC – Demars 69 run (Maggio kick), 11:40 3rd, NCHS 14-7
NC – Demars 5 run (Maggio kick), 1:41 3rd, NCHS 21-7
NC – Logan Lonadier 1 run (Maggio kick), 5:08 4th, NCHS 28-7
KEY STATS: The Chiefs defense was stout again, only allowing 100 total yards, 57 on the Vikings’ only score. Otherwise Airline netted just 43 yards on 39 snaps … Senior running back Caylin Demars posted his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game with a dynamic second-half performance. Held to 28 yards on 10 carries in the first half by a sturdy Airline defense, Demars exploded for a 69-yard touchdown run on the first offensive snap of the third quarter and had 140 yards on 12 carries after halftime .. NCHS had 307 total yards, 283 on the ground … Airline netted only 8 yards rushing on 20 tries … Sam Maggio was perfect on four extra point kicks and averaged 42 yards on two punts … Logan Saucier had a fumble recovery for the Chiefs.
NOTES: This is the best start to a season by the Chiefs in a generation. The 1996 NCHS team won its first three games. The 1984 Chiefs started 5-0 … an NCHS player had an asthma attack near the end of halftime and was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, resulting in about a five-minute delay in starting the third quarter, but was released and returned home Friday night.
NCHS COACH JAMES WILKERSON’S COMMENTS: “I was very proud of our effort. The defense played lights out and dominated the game. Our offense made some adjustments at halftime and did what we needed to do in the second half. This team has fight and heart and it showed last night. We keep getting better at little things each week.”
NEXT UP: The Chiefs will travel to Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport next Friday night to meet the defending district champion, the Byrd Yellow Jackets (4-0), who are ranked 10th in the state Class 5A poll and beat Haughton 38-7 Friday night.
