LAKE CHARLES LA. – In a show of offensive fireworks led by wide receiver Sammy Knight the Louisiana Swashbucklers claim its first win of the season defeating the Alabama Hammers 67-35 in a well attended game at the Lake Charles Civic Center Saturday night. The Bucs improve to 1-1 while the Hammers drop to 0-2. The game also bore witness to placekicker Blake Bercegay getting four uno kicks through the uprights.
It was a competitive first quarter with no score as each team fought for points until the Bucs scored first on a 28 yard pass from quarterback Ben McLaughlin with 13 minutes remaining in the period. A minute later the Hammers answered back with their own 35 yard bomb from QB Bill Ashburn to Germico McSwain. The tie was broken with a 45 yard field goal by Bercegay. McSwain would answer five minutes later with a successful touchdown run. Bucs running back Kendrick Perry ended the first quarter with a five yard rush into the end zone immediately followed by Bercegay’s first uno with the score 18-14.
The second period saw more points accumulated on the scoreboard as Knight and Perry worked in tandem from McLaughlin to keep the scoreboard rolling. Not to be outdone, Alabama did the same with Ashburn finding Willie Quinnie, McSwain, and Charles McClain in the end zone to keep the game close. After another uno from Bercegay the score went 40-28 for the Bucs at halftime.
In the second half Louisiana started to pull away as Bercegay had a field goal and an uno back-to-back. Though McClain scored a touchdown from three yards out to pull within five of the Bucs there was no stopping the home team’s offensive scoring machine. Perry put the ball into the end zone on a 10 yard run. The defense also contributed to the cause as Louisiana’s Taurean Rhetta picked up an Ashburn fumble in the end zone for a score. Though the PAT was no good Bercegay made up for it on the next play as he kicked his third uno. The third quarter ended with the Swashbucklers having a commanding lead of 57-35.
The fourth quarter saw no offensive scoring until Bercegay kicked a 20 yard field goal which was later followed by Bucs wide receiver Jordan Rideaux catching a 15 yard pass into the end zone. The Hammers were effectively contained by Louisiana’s defense in the final period.
The Swashbucklers will be back in action again at home in the Smuggler’s Den when they host the Mobile Bay Tarpons on Saturday, April 9th.
