LEESVILLE – Homecoming week is always a distraction. 

But for Caleb Gallashaw, this week meant a chance to do something he didn't get to do last year in the playoffs.

And that was to run roughshod over the Minden Crimson Tide.

Gallashaw, who did not play in last year's playoff loss to Minden due to being quarantined, ran the ball 27 times for 255 yards and five touchdowns in leading the Wampus Cats to a 49-36 win over the Crimson Tide on Friday.

"We've got to clean up some things, but I'm proud of our kids," Leesville head coach Robbie Causey said. "The kids played hard, but we've got some things to fix."

Leesville fumbled the ball on several occasions, losing two of them. The Cats had a total of three turnovers and were penalized eight times for 93 yards.

The game got off to a rousing start as Gallashaw scored on the opening offensive play, a 59-yard scamper around the right end for a 7-0 lead.

After a Minden turnover in its own territory, Gallashaw scored on a 12-yard run for a 14-0 edge just three minutes into the contest.

The Crimson Tide got on the board with a 6-yard TD run from Cameron Mitchell, but Gallashaw made it 21-7 with a 20-yard scoring scamper heading into the second quarter.

Gallashaw scored his fourth TD of the first half on a 9-yard run, bit Minden responded with a long drive, culminating in an 11-yard TD from Jacolby Snell, cutting the deficit to 28-14 at intermission.

Minden also scored on its opening drive of the second half, closing to with 28-20 on an 18-yard run from Daylen Robinson.

But Leesville would come back to life.

The Cats used a little trickery with a double-reverse flea flicker, which resulted in Nathan Mawae scoring on 36-yard TD reception from Parker Maks for a 35-20 lead.

Gallashaw followed up with a 32-yard TD run and Jaymeion Henderson scored on an 87-yard fumble return to give Leesville a 49-20 lead early in the fourth.

Minden scored two touchdowns in the fourth, but it was too late as Leesville improved to 3-2 heading into its district opener next week at Bolton.

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Gallashaw runs wild in Leesville win over Minden