By MATT VINES, Journal Sports
In the past two seasons, Natchitoches Central’s offense relied on the playmaking ability of quarterback Owen Smith.
Whether Smith was on the run or needed to deliver a precise strike, the Chiefs went as far as their signal caller.
But NCHS didn’t need a super-human performance from Smith on Friday as other Chiefs offensive weapons made numerous plays in a 41-0 rout of Breaux Bridge to open the season at Turpin Stadium.
Kelton Howard took a routine swing pass 64 yards, making multiple Tigers tacklers miss, for NCHS’s first score less than a minute into the game.
K.J. Newton made a Superman-like jump over a Breaux Bridge defender to snatch a Smith pass, then broke the tackle for a 74-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs led 21-0 on Howard’s second score of the game, a lead they took into the half with a balanced offensive effort.
“Consistency in the play of the offensive line, both in pass protection and the run game, is key to this performance,” said NCHS coach Brad Laird. “We have depth at running back, and the running backs have run with great vision and physicality.
“That’s led to us having success running the ball.”
Make no mistake, Smith made plenty of plays as well, throwing for 263 yards and three touchdowns on 11 of 20 aim, hitting eight different receivers, while being a factor in the run game with a 43-yard burst.
It’s an offense that matured as a cadre of young weapons grew up over the course of this past season with a 41-point win to show for it after beating Breaux Bridge by just two points in sloppy conditions in 2024.
Perhaps the most impressive facet of Friday’s win was the defense, who pitched the program’s first shutout since a blanking of Southwood in 2022.
The Chiefs, who gave up explosive plays against Tioga in the jamboree with some of their secondary sick, pinned down Breaux Bridge for the entire game.
The Tigers did muster 206 rushing yards, but the Chiefs got off the field on third down (3-of-10) while forcing three total turnovers (two fumbles and an interception). NCHS also came up with multiple fourth down stops.
“Defensively, we were able to make big fourth-down stops in the first half and also created takeaways,” Laird said. “For the most part, we eliminated big plays, which led us to having the opportunity to make those fourth-down stops.”
The defense even outscored their opponent when Jeremy Lowe returned an interception for a touchdown, putting the Chiefs up 35-0.
NCHS meanwhile moved the chains on the money down (5-of-8) and didn’t turn the ball over.
Zero turnovers means that Smith and Co. didn’t feel pressure to take risks outside of the offensive scheme, which they surely know better in Laird’s second season on the NCHS sidelines.
That will be of utmost importance when the Chiefs head to Evangel Christian on Friday to start District 1-5A play.