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KAPLAN - The Kaplan Pirates ended a four-game losing in front of a homecoming crowd Friday.
The Pirates beat the St. Martinville Tigers 26-15 Friday in Ed Douglas Memorial Stadium.
The win improves Kaplan to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in the district.
Kaplan head coach Stephen Lotief said it felt like eight years since the last time Kaplan won a game.
On Friday, his saw his squad play Kaplan football.
“We relaxed and played better,” said Lotief. “We won the line of scrimmage, and we played as good as we can play.”
The Pirates used a team effort to beat the Tigers.
The offense racked up 277 yards of offense behind the running of Drake Lejeune. Lejeune ran for 137 yards on 22 carries, and he scored twice.
His head coach praised his running back.
“He ran hard today. He got the extra yards on his own,” said Lotief. “The offensive line won the battle. This week we fell forward instead of sideways. We played with a little more intensity.”
Lejeune came into the game with 292 yards rushing in six games. He averaged 10 yards a game heading into Friday’s big game. He was excited to end the four-game losing streak.

“It feels fantastic. I hope the win starts a trend,” said Lejeune. “I hope we continue to win and dominate like we did tonight.”
The Pirates’ offense did not score in the first half. The only Kaplan scored occurred when linebacker Andre Gaspard ran an interception back 32 yards for a touchdown.
The Pirates went into halftime down 8-6.
However, Lotief did not go into the locker room. He stayed on the track because his daughter, Erin, made the homecoming court. He had to escort her on the field. He said it could have been a first in his 20-plus years of coaching he did not go into the locker room at halftime.

It did not seem to the bother the Pirates because they opened the third quarter playing Kaplan football.
They took their opening second-half drive and marched 54 yards in 15 plays and came away with six points. On fourth down and goal, Lejeune ran four yards and rolled into the end zone and put his team up 12-8.
Lotief called for his kicker Cooper Guidry to kick an onside kick. He was successful and Kaplan’s Caden Campisi fell on the rolling football at midfield.
Four plays later, running back Ethan Weygand scored from the 30-yard line to give Kaplan an 18-8 lead.
In a matter of two minutes, the Pirates went from being down 8-6 to being ahead 18-8.
The Tigers’ offense woke up and scored quickly to close the Pirates’ lead to 18-15 with only nine minutes left in the game.
However, when the Tigers got the ball again, the Kaplan defense stepped up and made big plays.
On a fourth-down, Kaplan defenders Orlando Roy, Rhen Renfrow, and Ross LaPointe stopped St. Martinville’s quarterback.
Then with the game on the line, Renfrow and Kavan Desormeaux came up big and sacked St. Martinville’s quarterback on fourth down with less than two minutes to play in the game.
“Our defense came to play. They stepped up when they had to. We played as a team a tonight, and that is what it takes to win this district,” said Lotief.
Others who carried the football for Kaplan were Nahan Sistrunk (19-64 yards) and Weygand (6-64).

March 28, 1924 - October 16, 2019

Elizabeth (Betty) June Shiner Mergist passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home with family by her side, on Wednesday October 16th 2019, 9:52 am. Now worry free, she’s at peace.
It was her request to be cremated, her ashes to be placed with her husband Pervis and some ashes with her Grandmother (Bubkie) Shiner in Pennsylvania.
A rosary and Mass of Christian burial at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church, Abbeville will be November 16th 2019 at 10:00 am, rosary at 9:00 am recited by St. Therese Ladies Altar Society, burial at St. Paul Cemetery.
Survived by her children Anthony (Tony) of Rio Rancho NM; Joseph (Joe) wife Jennifer of League City TX; Jean Wolak husband Dan of Orland Park IL; Jerome of Abbeville; David wife Tammy of Lafayette; Dominica of Abbeville; Marcella Spearman husband Bill of Abbeville; 15 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Sister Helen Suire of Bartlett IL; brother Henry Shiner wife Shirlee of Indiana PA. Godchildren Cindy Ford, Henry Suire, Weston Depa, and Craig Mergist. Preceded in death by her husband Pervis (Bill); father John Shiner; mother Mary Beleveder Shiner Mancusi; sister Bernice Shiner Gera; brother Edward Shiner; paternal grandparents, Jacob and Agnes Shiner; maternal grandparents, Stanley and Pauline Wesoloski Belevender; step-father Frank Mancusi; infant grandchildren and infant great granddaughter.
Heartfelt appreciation is extended by the Mergist family to all friends, doctors, spiritual, care and staff, both past and present.
The kindness that each of you has shown her has meant a lot to us.
We thank you with all our hearts.
Gatherings with family and friends meant a lot to her.
We are inviting everyone after the service for a gathering in celebration of her life, to commemorate her beloved legacy.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to either St. Therese Catholic Church - PO Box 609 Abbeville, LA 70510; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital - PO Box 50 Memphis TN 38101-9929; EWTN - 5817 Old Leeds Rd. Irondale Al 35210-9768; Hospice of Acadiana - 2600Johnston St. Lafayette La 70503.

Members of the Vermilion Catholic Homecoming Court are Kelli Frith, Whitney Bourque, Emily Gisclaire, Camille LeBlanc, Aneliese Hebert, Julia Mollere, Queen Rosa-Claire Hagle, Julie Hargrave, and Allie Trahan. Vermilion Catholic will play host to Highland Baptist during tonight’s annual Homecoming Game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The Homecoming Parade will take place at 3 p.m. Friday in Abbeville.

Members of the 2019 Kaplan High School Homecoming Court are (seated L-R) Jannah Gaspard, Jasmine Broussard, Olivia Terro, Erin Lotief. Standing L-R are McKenzie Duhon, Shelby Broussard, Te’ Johnnie, Lexie Broussard, Kailie Hebert, Whitney Boullion. The
Pirates will play host to St. Martinville on Friday for the annual Homecoming game.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Ed Douglas Memorial Stadium. The 2019 Homecoming Queen will be announced at halftime.