Erath is off to a 5-0 start

ERATH – The Erath Bobcats gave up a touchdown on the game’s first play, then scored 43-straight points en route to a 43-15 shellacking of the Westlake Rams Friday at Robert 
 The Bobcats (5-0) are undefeated at the halfway point of the regular season and are ranked seventh in the latest Louisiana Sports Writers Association Top 10 poll.   Head coach Eric LeBlanc believes his team can be as good as they want to be.
   “The ceiling is wherever these kids want to go,” LeBlanc said.  “We’re trying to make them understand there’s a purpose to all this.  It’s not just about winning every game until we reach the playoffs.  It’s so that when we get to the playoffs, we’re ready.”
 Westlake scored on their first offensive play when quarterback Brody Anderson connected with receiver Dereck Thompson for an 80-yard touchdown pass.  The extra point made it 7-0 with 11:46 left in the first period.
Erath absorbed the punch to the mouth and came back swinging. On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, senior quarterback Jack Landry found junior tight end Landen DeRouen for a 25-yard touchdown pass.  The two-point conversation made it 8-7 with 10:40 left in the quarter.
  On their next possession, Landry connected with DeRouen for a 33-yard touchdown pass.  The extra point failed to put the Bobcats ahead 14-7 with 8:02 remaining.
 On their third possession, senior running back Aiden Bourque took the handoff up the middle, made a hard cut to the right, and raced 41-yards to the endzone.  The extra point failed to put Erath up 20-7 at the end of the opening period.
 “That’s just our drive as a team,” Landry said.  “If we get knocked down, we don’t feel sorry for ourselves.  We get back up and return it.”
 The Bobcats continued their barrage in the second quarter.  After a long drive stalled inside the 20-yard line, senior kicker Carlos Arellano booted a 34-yard field goal to make it 23-7 with 3:13 left 
After its defense forced a quick three-and-out, Erath took over again with 2:08 left.  This time, Landry hit sophomore Tate Collins in the corner of the endzone for the 18-yard touchdown.  The extra point failed to make the score 29-7 with 55 seconds to go in the first half.
On the ensuing kickoff, Erath faked everyone out and kicked an onside kick.  They fell on the loose ball to take over first-and-10 with 52 seconds left on the clock.  On the fifth play of the drive, Landry ran it in from one yard out.  The extra point made it 36-7 at the break.
On the opening drive of the second half, Erath methodically drove down the field using the arm of Landry and the legs of senior running back Landon LeMaire.  Landry capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to senior Talen Landry.  The extra point made it 43-7 with 8:37 left in the third quarter.
 Westlake added a touchdown in the fourth quarter when Malke Carter scored from the two-yard line.  The two-point conversion made the final score 43-15.
 Landry finished 16-of-20 for 252 yards and four touchdowns through the air and one rushing touchdown.  Bourque finished with 92 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries while Jahlil Charles added 65 yards on nine carries.  LeMaire finished with 27 yards on six carries.
DeRouen led all receivers with four catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns.  Talen Landry caught four passes for 49 yards and a score, while Collins had one catch for 18 yards and a touchdown.  Charles also added four catches for 48 yards.
In week six, Erath will host DeQuincy.  The Tigers are 2-3 on the season.  They dropped a 28-19 decision to Grand Lake in week five.  LeBlanc isn’t worried about records or rankings because he knows the Bobcats will get everyone’s best shot.
 “Everyone we play this year is putting a checkmark next to our game,” LeBlanc said.  “That’s why we bust our butts every day.  We know they’re busting their butts on their campus trying to beat us.  But we have 95 kids on the roster who love to play football.  They work hard.  When they decide they want something to happen, it’s going to happen.”