Kaplan wants more than reaching semifinal game

KAPLAN - Most teams would be thrilled to reach the Class 3A semifinals. Not the Kaplan Pirates. They want more.
Prior to this year, the Pirates have been to the Class 3A semifinals two years in a row and lost. While reaching the Class 3A semifinals is nice except when you lose two years in a row.
Kaplan head coach Stephen Lotief reminded his players not to be satisfied with reaching the semifinals for the third year in a row. The Pirates were able to accomplish that remarkable goal after beating Lake Charles College Prep 22-12 on Friday.
When the team gathered for a pep talk, Lotief told his players, fans and parents in a one minute pep talk not to be satisfied.
“Parents, now is not the time to pat us on back,” said Lotief. “Finish. If you have something to tell them, tell them to finish. You understand? We are there again. Finish! Finish!”
The No. 3 Pirates will travel to Eunice to battle No. 2 Eunice, who whipped No. 26 Madison Prep, 41-12.
This will be Kaplan’s first road playoff game this year.
For this group of KHS seniors, this will be the third straight year they take part in a semifinal game.
Senior Haiden Hebert is thrilled to be heading back to the semifinals.
“It is a blessing. We have already experienced it and we know what it takes to get there,” said senior Haiden Hebert. “Now we have to prove what it takes to get to the finals.”
How did Hebert interpret Lotief’s pep talk? “Making it to the semifinals is not good enough. He wants it and we also want it together. We all want to reach the finals. That what we need to do," said Hebert.
“Reaching the semifinals means everything,” said KHS senior Anthony Demarco. “Being able to follow in the footsteps of the seniors from last year is great. We need to take the next step. Taste the greatness.”
The Pirates, before the game, looked like it was going to be tough to taste greatness based on the size of Lake Charles Prep. But size is not what counts.
The Pirates took their opening first quarter drive and matched 65 yards in 18 plays. Kaplan held the football for eight minutes in the first quarter. On fourth down and 2 from the Prep 7-yard line, Drake Abshire darted right for a touchdown. It stayed 6-0 for the first half.
Abshire, after sitting out one game, returned and made an impact. He had 11 carries for 39 yards a touchdown. Abshire said his hip injury was due to a pinch nerve.
"It is big (to reach semis) but we can not stop here,” he said. “We have to keep going.”
The Pirates looked to have the game wrapped up at the five minute mark in the third period when Logan Roy ran up the middle for a 45-yard touchdown run and Abshire scored for two points that made it 14-0.
With the fog rolling in, Lake Charles Prep made it interesting. Having to go the air, Prep closed to within one score, 14-6, with seven minutes to play in the game.
Kaplan iced the game when it scored with 3:32 to play. Quintlan Cobb had a huge 40 yard run on the drive. He finished the game with eight carries for 54 yards. Braylon Romero led KHS with 22 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown.
Before Lotief arrived, the last time Kaplan went to the semifinals was in the late 1980s. Lotief praised the Pirate Nation.
“This community is awesome. If we are good, bad or ugly, they are here to support us,” Lotief said. “I love it. Kaplan is a great place.”
It would be greater if their football team reaches the Superdome.