After two years in 2A, the Comets played their first 3A district game in nearly 3 years last Friday in Lutcher. The Bulldogs, the defending 3A state champions, started fast and finished strong and that was enough to overcome the Comets 30-9 in a game that was 12-7 at the half and 12-9 with only 30 seconds left in the 3^rd quarter. The Bulldogs scored the last 18 points of the game. Ironically the last time the Comets played a 3A district game was in 2004 when they defeated Lutcher 33-14 on their home field.

Neither team could mount a scoring drive on their first possession. The Bulldogs scored on a big pass play on their second possession as quarterback Blane Gautier connected with Jarvis Landry in the flat and Landry scooted up the left sideline 67 yards for the game’s first touchdown. The PAT was no good and the Bulldogs led 6-0. This lead would hold up the rest of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs drove 73 yards in 9 plays with Gautier rushing 18 yards to the endzone. This time the Bulldogs tried for two and failed and led 12-0 with a little over 9 minutes left in the second quarter.

The Comets took the ensuing kickoff and went 65 yards in 8 plays for their only touchdown in the game. Comet running back Jonathan Cancienne carried for 4 of the 8 plays the last one 13 yards for the touchdown. Chris Ilski’s PAT trimmed the Lutcher lead to 12-7. Neither team would score again in the first half and a potential SCC drive was halted by an interception with less than two minutes before halftime.

Early in the third quarter the Comets scored a safety when a Bulldog punt snap sailed out of the endzone. The Comets only trailed 12-9 and received the kickoff after the safety and returned it to midfield. Cancienne carried the ball 4 straight times to the Lutcher 32 yard line. With the Comets facing a 3^rd and two Cancienne was thrown for a 4 yard loss. After a delay penalty the Comets punted and this turned out to be a crucial turning point in the game.

Lutcher would take over and travel 80 yards for the touchdown that would put some distance between them and the Comets. Another two point try failed and the 3^rd quarter would end with Lutcher ahead 18-9. The Bulldogs dominated the 4^th quarter putting up two more scores and the Comets could not get any consistency on offense the rest of the way.

The Comets record slipped to 3-3 with the loss. The Comets face Pope John Paul next Friday in Slidell . It will be the final non-district opponent for the Comets as their last three games will be against district opponents Brusly, Port Allen, and Plaquemine.