WEST MONROE TOPS NEVILLE ON THE ROAD

West Monroe has held eminent domain over northeastern Louisiana high school football for the last 20 years. That isn’t changing either after the Rebels (5-0) crossed the Lea Joyner Bridge with another Friday-night win. Senior quarterback Slade Bolden ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns as West Monroe left Bill Ruple Stadium with a 27-7 win over Neville. The Alabama commit completed 16-of-21 passes for 129 yards. A stout Rebel defense held the Tigers (2-3) to 28 total yards rushing. Junior Cameron Wright ran through the teeth of the Neville defense and set up Bolden’s first rushing touchdown, a six-yarder, on West Monroe’s first offensive possession. Wright ran for game-high 127 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. Neville answered the Rebels on the ensuing drive with a 69-yard pitch and catch courtesy of junior quarterback Jordan Thomas to senior wide receiver Joseph Bouie. While penalties hurt West Monroe throughout he first half, the Tigers set themselves back with two turnovers. Wright topped 100 yards rushing in the first half and broke a 7-7 tie with a 27-yard visit to the end zone in the second quarter. Turning point: Bolden bulled his way across the goal line on fourth down to give West Monroe a 21-7 lead at the half. Sophomore Max Hunter returned the opening kick of the third quarter deep into Neville territory, but the Rebels were forced to settle for a 41-yard Carson Jones field goal. Neville couldn’t take advantage of a pair of defensive stops and failed to pick up a first down in the second half until the final minutes of the third quarter. It was over when: Jones added another three points to the West Monroe total with a 35-yard field goal at the midway point of the fourth quarter. Thomas finished 12-of-27 for 143 yards and the lone touchdown. Senor Payton Batteford split snaps with Thomas and was 2-of-6 for 18 yards. Welcome back: West Monroe head coach Jerry Arledge returned to the sideline for the first time this season after a four-game LHSAA suspension. Defensive coordinator Tony Osborne led the Rebels to a 4-0 start as interim coach. Bent but not broken: While Neville allowed its highest point total of the year, the defense only allowed Bolden one big play on the ground. A 58-yard run in the fourth quarter that set up Jones’ second field goal accounted for the bulk of his 70 yards on the ground.

WEST MONROE TOPS NEVILLE ON THE ROAD

Photo Credit: Hannah Baldwin

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