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| Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved |
SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA (December 23, 2022) After a lackluster first half, the Houston Cougars finally got their offensive playbook together and downed the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns by the score of 23-16 in the 45th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
Louisiana dominated the first half after putting six points on the scoreboard after driving 75 yards in 15 plays when quarterback Chandler Fields (Archbishop Rummell HS, Metairie, Louisiana) connected on a four-yard pass to Johnny Lumpkins (Frederick Douglass HS, Atlanta, Georgia) for the score. Kenneth Almendares (Brazosport HS, Clute, Texas) added the kicking conversion to give the Ragin' Cajuns a seven-point lead at the 7:39 mark of the first quarter.
After Houston failed to advance the ball and gain an offensive edge, Almendares kicked two consecutive field goals, both from 42-yards out, to push the Louisiana lead to 13-0 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Four minutes later, the Cougars finally scored with a 33-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Hebron HS, Carrollton, Texas) to KeSean Carter (The Woodlands HS, Willis, Texas) for six points. Kyle Ramsey (Ridge Point HS, Missouri City, Texas) missed the extra point' making the score 13-6 with three minutes remaining in the half. Louisiana increased its lead when Almendares booted a 22-yard field goal with two seconds left to increase their lead to 16-6 at the half.
Houston began to make offensive progress in the second half, driving 70 yards in 13 plays to cut Louisiana's lead to three. Tune found Nathaniel Dell open in the end zone' completing a two-yard pass for the score, Ramsey found success on the extra point; pushing the score to 16-13 at the 9:21 mark of the third quarter.
The Cougars evened the score at 16 after driving 31 yards in nine plays, with a 19-yard Ramsey field goal with 13:40 remaining in the game. After Louisiana fail to get into the end zone, Houston got the ball back with 2:59 remaining in the game. Tune skillfully marked 92 yards down the field on 2:39 and completed the drive with a 12-yard pass to Dell for their second combined TD of the game. Ramsey again converted the extra point to give the Cougars the Independence Bowl trophy.
As a result of his performance, Tune was honored as the Offensive Most Outstanding Player while Houston defensive back Art Green (Hutchinson CC, Chesterfield, Missouri) was selected the Defensive Most Outstanding Player.
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