Wampus Cats get defensive in win over Bolton
Published 7:39 pm Saturday, November 7, 2020
ALEXANDRIA – The homestanding Bolton Bears never had a chance.
The Leesville Wampus Cats had three fumble returns for touchdowns and forced seven total turnovers as they rolled past Bolton on Friday night, 63-27.
With the victory, Leesville improved to 3-3 on the season, 1-1 in district. Bolton dropped to 4-2 overall, 0-1 in district.
After forcing a Bolton punt to open. The game, it took Leesville just eight plays to score its first TD of the night. Facing fourth down at the Bears 27, Jacob Mount connected with Caleb Gallashaw on a 27-yard scoring strike. Caden Catron added the PAT for a 7-0 Wampus Cat lead.
After an exchange of turnovers, the Wampus Cats took advantage of a negative punt by Bolton deep in its own territory. Leesville needed just one play to score as Layne Self bulled in from two yards out for the touchdown. Carton's point after made the score, 14-0.
On the ensuing Bolton possession, the second snap of the series sailed over the head of Zamarion Silas and bounced around until DaShawn Grooms scooped it up and rambled 18 yards for the touchdown, making the score, 21-0.
Nathan Mawae recovered another bad Bolton snap and just three plays later, Gallashaw scored on a 14-yard TD run for a 28-0 lead just six seconds into the second period.
After the following kickoff, another snap issue by the Bears occurred, with Mawae scooping up the ball and covering 21 yards for the return TD and a 35-0 cushion.
Bolton again fumbled on its next play, but the Bears caught a break when Xxaveia Woods intercepted Mount and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown, cutting the gap to 35-6.
Leesville responded with a 10-play, 65-yard drive for a touchdown. Gallashaw had three long runs on the series, the longest being 20 yards for the touchdown and a 42-6 lead.
Bolton's offense started clicking on the ensuing drive, which saw Silas complete a 25-yard pass to set up Adavion Sanders' 4-yard TD run, cutting the gap to 42-13.
Gallashaw brought back the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown and a 49-13 lead.
After forcing a punt, Leesville added a late TD when Mount connected with A.J. Bush on a 31-yard toss on fourth down, making the score, 56-13, at the break.
Leesville extended the lead to 63-13 early in the third on a JaShawn Mabry 28-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Bolton added a couple of late scores, but it was too little, too late as Leesville took home the easy win.
Gallashaw touched the ball just 12 times on offense, tallying 142 yards and three scores. He added a kickoff return for a TD as well before sitting out the second half.
Mount had 91 yards passing and two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Defensively, the Cats forced seven turnovers, six of them being fumbles, three of which went for touchdowns.
Leesville hosts Northwood-Shreveport for homecoming next Friday.
This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Wampus Cats get defensive in win over Bolton