Avoyelles Mustangs' title dreams end with 40-38 loss to Many Tigers

FINAL: A valiant defensive stand at their own 5 yard line gave Avoyelles one last chance to pull off the upset of the defending 2A champion Many Tigers, but an interception in the last minute of play ended the Mustangs' hopes for an opportunity to play for the state championship in the Superdome next week and preserved the Tigers' slim 40-38 victory.

Avoyelles Today thanks Thomas Fontanille for his timely updates on the MaxPreps website which allowed us to keep readers of this news site updated during the second half. We also express our pride and appreciation for the Mustangs for proving to everyone that it isn't the size of the team -- Avoyelles has less than 30 on its squad -- but the size of that team's heart that matters.

UPDATE 4: Avoyelles' defense stopped the Tigers on the Mustangs 5 yard line with 2 minutes left in the game, giving the underdog Avoyelles one last chance to march down the field and do unto Many what Many had done unto them in October -- win the game in the last minute. Stay tuned for the last update.

UPDATE 3: In a drive marred by two penalties, the Mustangs had to turn the ball over on downs with about five minutes left in the game. Many took over at its own 48 yard line hanging onto its 40-38 lead in the semifinal game.

UPDATE 2: Many struck quickly with a 65-yard touchdown run to regain the lead, 40-38. The Tigers 2-point attempt failed.

UPDATE 1: Avoyelles has taken the lead with a touchdown pass and 2-point run to lead the Many Tigers, 38-34, with about nine minutes left in the 2A semifinal game in Many.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: Avoyelles High led 22-20 late in the 2nd quarter, but Many took the lead and went into the locker rooms up 26-22 in their semifinal match with the Many Tigers. Many expanded its lead to 34-22 early in the 3rd quarter.

The Mustangs battled back to trim the deficit to 34-30 midway through the quarter, forced the defending state 2A champions to punt and then mounted another drive into Many territory as the 3rd quarter ended.

As of the writing of this update, there is a quarter to go and, as they say, a whole lot of football still left to play.

Many defeated Avoyelles on a last-minute touchdown earlier this year to take a 34-30 victory.