North Delta drops game against Bayou

By Brad Greer
Having just dropped a 43-32 verdict to Bayou Friday night, the North Delta Green Wave slowly and dejectedly walked off the field thinking its season was over.
Or was it?
Their dismay turned into delight the following day as North Delta received news they had slipped into the MAIS AAA playoffs as the No.16 and final seed.
Their dubious award for making the playoffs will be a trip to No.1 ranked and defending state champion Indianola Friday night in a 7 p.m kickoff.
Four turnovers cost North Delta dearly against Bayou as the visitors took advantage of two Green Wave miscues to grab a 10-0 lead after one quarter of play.
North Delta (6-4; 2-2) answered with two scoring drives as Cole Devazier scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns on a five-yard run up the middle for a 10-6 Colt lead with 10:42 left in the half.
The Green Wave took advantage of a short 20-yard Colt punt to set up shop on the Bayou 29 on the following possession with Devazier crashing in from one-yard out. Devazier hooked up with Luke Daniels for the two-point conversion to give North Delta a 14-10 halftime lead.
Whatever momentum North Delta might have had going into the second half quickly diminished after coughing up the ball on the kickoff at the Colt 40.
Bayou used a steady ground game to regain the lead at 17-14 as Stanley Buford found pay dirt from five yards out with Lance Dalton adding the PAT with 7:11 left to play in the third quarter.
Bryson Reed chewed up 46 yards rushing to key the ten-play; 60-yard drive. Bayou rushed for 120 yards in the second half after being held to nine yards in the first by a salty Green Wave defense.
The Colt defense got into the act on the following series as Peyton Horn scooped up a fumble and raced 40 yards for the score to increase the Bayou lead to 24-14 lead.
With North Delta desperately needing a spark, Kaleb Joyner answered as he took a screen pass from Devazier 65 yards to set up a Devazier nine-yard run with 5:03 left in the third for a 24-20 Colt lead.
Joyner led the North Delta rushing attack with 16 carries for 107 yards while catching three passes for 65 yards. The senior also contributed with five tackles.
Bayou extended its lead to 30-20 as quarterback Tyler Thweatt scored on a one-yard plunge with 2:05 remaining in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter provided plenty of fireworks as both teams accounted for two scoring drives as North Delta yet again pulled within one possession of taking the lead as Devazier threw a 35 yard strike to Harris Cole to close the margin to 30-26 at the 9:35 mark following a failed two-point conversion.
Bayou would however slam the door shut on any North Delta rally as Thweatt tossed touchdown passes of 85 and 5 yards to Colby Chenault for a 43-26 Colt lead.
North Delta finished the scoring with Devazier hitting Cole on a 10-yard score with 58 seconds left in the contest. Devazier finished the night 14-of-22 passing for 183 yards and one interception.
Cole had four receptions for 62 yards while Tyler Holland reeled in four catches for 35 yards and a interception on defense. Daniels chipped in with two catches for 12 yards.
North Delta out gained the Colts 412-406 in total yardage. The Green Wave rushed the ball 41 times for 229 yards while adding 183 yards through the air.
Devazier followed Joyner in rushing with 17 carries for 96 yards. Jimmy Manues added 13 yards on four totes while Braxton Bailey had two rushes for 13 yards. Miles Garner registered one carry for one yard.
Chris Williamson and Jordan Cox led the North Delta defense with eight tackles each. Williamson recorded two quarterback sacks while Cox registered one.
Luke Noah followed with four stops while Brayden Locke, Holland and Manues added three each. J. T. Stennett recovered a fumble in the second quarter.