CCHS routs Gueydan

An overwhelmed, undermanned and winless Gueydan High School was held to 3 yards of total offense by Central Catholic as the Eagles bounced back from a disappointing loss the week before and look to build momentum going into the playoffs with a 50-0 victory here Friday night.
Despite having only three offensive plays in less than four minutes into the game, the Eagles (4-6 overall, 4-2 in District 7-1A) took a 21-0 lead with a 25-yard interception return by Charlie Barron. They added another touchdown four minutes later on a 22-yard reverse that Tyler Hoffpauir took down the right sidelines.
By halftime, the Eagles had a 50-0 lead and the defense had pushed the Bears, that were playing with only 21 players, backward for minus-8 yards in total offense.
In the second half, the game was played with a running clock that was not stopped even for an injured player.
There were only 20 plays in the second half. The Eagles let their second team play the final two periods with the game firmly in hand.
“We got to play a lot of kids and they got some experience in the game,” CCHS head coach David Fuhrer said. “I am glad the game is over.”
The victory will help remove the sting of the previous week when the Eagles lost to Metairie Park Country Day 41-7 and will allow Central Catholic to ride into the playoffs with a victory.
“This was a good win for us, and it will help get last week out of our system,” Fuhrer said.
Central Catholic will play at home as a No. 16 seed against St. Martin’s Episcopal, the No. 17 seed, Friday at 7 p.m.
As for Gueydan, the season has been difficult for the Bears, which head coach Jay Landry said won 11 games just three years ago.
“We are an extremely young football team this year,” Landry said. “Not to take away from Central Catholic, which is a good football team, but we only had 21 players and were without four of our starters. We are one of the smallest schools that play football, so we have to be bigger and stronger than the teams we play.”
Central Catholic scored on the first offensive play of the game with a pass from Nicholas Case to Hoffpauir (two receptions for 52 yards and one touchdown) that covered 46 yards.
The Eagles took two plays to score on their second possession. After a pass from Case (3-for-3 for 55 yards and one touchdown) to Stefano Guarisco, Hoffpauir scored again, running 50 yards down the left side. Hoffpauir rushed for 72 yards on two carries and finished the game with 124 yards of offense and three touchdowns on four touches.
Sydney Holder got the Eagles second interception off Cade Sonnier (0-for-3 with two interceptions) at the Eagles’ 16 and gave CCHS a first-and-goal from the 6.
Eriq Blanchard ran it for a score on the next play. The point-after attempt by Matthew Barbier gave the Eagles a 35-0 lead with 2:33 left in the first quarter. Barbier was successful on each of the five first-quarter PATs.
A holding penalty stifled the Eagles’ first possession in the second quarter and forced a 30-yard punt by Case.
Two plays later, a Gueydan fumble gave Central Catholic the football at the 12.
On the next play, Joe Michel took a handoff up the middle for the sixth Eagles’ score. Barbier booted the PAT to give the Eagles a 42-0 lead with 7:31 left in the first half.
Later in the quarter, Guarisco scored the final touchdown on a 40-yard run. The snap for the PAT was botched, but Case improvised and threw the ball to Blanchard for a successful 2-point conversion.
The Eagles had 183 yards in offense in the first half even though it began to pull its starters before halftime.
Central Catholic finished the game with 228 yards of offense on 27 plays. Gueydan ran 25 plays in the game and had four turnovers.