SULPHUR — The Barbe Bucs wasted little time asserting themselves on Friday at Matt Walker Memorial Stadium.
The Bucs defense forced Sulphur into a turnover on its first possession and the offense built a quick 14-point lead to beat the Tors 38-24.
The Bucs were led by senior tailback Kirkland Banks’ 189 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and senior quarterback Gavin Nettles threw three touchdown passes, one to Banks.
“We started off real well,” Barbe head coach Mike Cutrera said. “The defense was playing well and we made that stop.
“We were able to move the ball and that was the difference because it evened out towards the end.”
The Bucs (8-1, 5-1), who are off next week, won at least a share of its first District 3-5A championship since 2014.
“It is awesome,” Barbe head coach Mike Cutrera said. “These seniors deserve this.
“They come out and work hard in the weight room and on the practice field and they play hard. It is just a testament to their character.”
The Bucs beat the Tors for the ninth consecutive time and lead the series 29-17.
The Tors were hoping to claim their first district championship since 2007. The Tors have another chance next week when they travel to Sam Houston (1-8, 1-4). If Sulphur (6-3, 4-1) wins, and Acadiana (5-3, 4-1) beats New Iberia (3-6, 2-3), there will be a three-way tie for the district championship.
“It was a high-energy game,” Sulphur head coach Jeff Wainwright said. “We are going to look at the film and find the things that we could have done better.
“At the end of the day, I am proud of our seniors. They played hard. We have to build on it and get ready for next week.”
Sulphur won the coin toss and elected to receive to start the game. Sulphur got a first down on a 6-yard run by J’Cobi Skinner but two plays later, quarterback Byron Walker was intercepted by Josh Thomas which set the Bucs up at the Tors’ 27-yard line.
Five plays later, Banks scored on a 1-yard run for the first of his three touchdowns. Banks carried the ball 40 times and caught two passes for 33 yards and a touchdown.
Sulphur’s next possession ended on a punt and the Bucs marched 71-yards in 11 plays to take a 14-0 lead on a 4-yard run by Banks with 2:44 left in the first quarter.
The Tors put together a sustained drive on their third try going 75 yards on eight plays. Skinner capped the drive with a 2-yard score, but the Tors played catch up the rest of the way.
“We didn’t get off to a very good start,” Wainwright said. “You look at the statistics on it you have two turnovers by us that led to two scores for them.
“We were playing catch up. In the seconxd half, the defense made some adjustments, but we just gave up too many points early in the game.”
After the Tors cut the Bucs’ lead to seven, Nettles carried the Bucs the rest of the first half. Nettles threw a 38-yard score to Banks and a 31-yarder to Nate Briscoe in the second quarter. Nettles ended with 219 yards on 14-of-21 passing.
“We are glad he is back to (100 percent),” Cutrera said. “He has been playing well lately and I can’t give enough credit to our offensive line.
“They are the guys that open up the holes and give him the time to throw the ball. I am just very proud of that group.”
Barbe’s defense came up with another big play midway through the second quarter when defensive lineman Chandler Crawford recovered a fumble by Skinner that resulted in a 27-yard field goal by Mason Caldwell.
After Barbe took a 38-17 lead early in the third quarter on a 19-yard pass from Nettles to Jaylon Smith, the Tors’ defense stepped up and forced the Bucs to punt on two of their next three possessions. But the Tors’ offense scored once more.
With 4:02 left in the third, Byron Walker connected with younger brother Brandon Walker for the second time, this one on a 30-yard score, to cut Barbe’s 38-24. But the Tors had a drive stall at the Bucs 9-yard line early in the fourth quarter that could have cut the deficit to seven.
A week after missing his second game due to injury, Walker completed 11 of 25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Walker caught three passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns and Skinner had his fourth 200-yard game with 226 yards and one score on 33 carries.
Smith led all receivers with six catches for 95 yards.
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