By Whitman McGee
The Minden Crimson Tide traveled to Bastrop on Friday night in hopes of getting back on the right track with a much-needed victory.
And they did just that, defeating the Rams by a final score of 39-14.
Bastrop won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Rams had something up their sleeves though; kicking an onside kick and successfully recovering.
It felt like a repeat of a story that we’ve heard far too many times, but Minden kept their composure and forced a Bastrop three and out.
Set up by a thundering Daylen Robinson 31-yard rush, returning QB Andrew Cooper made his presence felt by scoring the first points of the game on a designated QB run.
Cooper wasn’t done there, scoring two more rushing touchdowns in the first half, one of which was initiated off the heels of a huge 51-yard Kentravion Lister run
When asked how Cooper’s return impacted the team, Head Coach Spencer Heard told The Journal, “They rallied around the fact that he was back. Everything felt back to normal with him being back there.”
Daylen Robinson ran in for his 7th touchdown of the year, making the score 26-0 with Minden on top heading into halftime.
After forcing Bastrop to punt to open the second half, Daylen Robinson punched the ball in yet again, this time from 16-yards out. Carter Barnett’s extra point attempt was good, Minden led 33-0 with 7:35 left in the 3rd quarter.
The Rams were on the verge of their 3rd straight shutout defeat, but they buckled down, putting a drive together that culminated in a Tyzavion Minnieweather score. Their two-point conversion attempt was no good
Bastrop tried their hand at another onside kick, but this time, Isaiah Thornton sniffed it out, recovering the ball and returning it for 24-yards.
Senior Zedekiah Harris scored the last of Minden’s touchdowns, picking up his 3rd of the year from 16-yards out. The Tide’s two-point conversion attempt was no good, but they lead 39-6.
Bastrop scored another touchdown and a successful two-point conversion loosened the gap a bit but it was too little, too late for the Rams.
Jakobe Jackson’s second interception of the year sealed the deal late in the fourth quarter as Tide backup QB Landon Huddleston was sent in to ice the game away.
Coach Heard has preached on offensive versatility for weeks now; it looks as if tonight that’s what he got.
“They’ve got to respect the fact that we can throw,” Heard said. “Andrew’s got a great arm and we have guys who can catch the ball.”
Heard also emphasized how integral Daylen Robinson and Kentravion Lister were in tonight’s win by setting the offense up and forcing the defense to pick their poison.
Interestingly enough, this was Minden’s first win in Bastrop since 1983 and only their 5th win all-time against the Rams.
After Friday night’s win and with some help from other teams, the Tide are in a prime position to compete for a chance at post-season play.
Emphasizing the importance of this bounce-back victory, Coach Heard said, “We were pretty much backed in a corner and had to have a win. I thought our guys executed well… it was extremely important for us.”
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