The last two years, West Feliciana and Plaquemine met in the final week of the regular season with the District 6-4A championship on the line.
This year's matchup landed earlier on the calendar, but it still had major significance.
Plaquemine rose to the challenge with big plays from its running, passing, and return games to claim a 40-21 victory Friday night at WFHS. The Green Devils (4-1, 3-0) remain perfect in 6-4A.
"I told my guys it was their (West Feliciana's) homecoming and it was going to be a playoff atmosphere," Plaquemine coach Donald Williams said. "I am extremely proud of the coaches, the players, and everyone from the top down that made this come together for us tonight"
Tyrese Mosby rushed for 259 yards and three scores, John Walker scored on an 86-yard kickoff return and a long pass.
Meanwhile, the Green Devil defense got three big stops in the second half to allow the offense to put the game away. As a result, Plaquemine outgained West Feliciana 466-311.
"The motto of this week was for us to improve in every phase (of the game), and I think we did that," Williams said. "Eventually, it will come down to one specific phase working for us to win a game. We are getting better in all three"
The Green Devils took a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter on Mosby's first touchdown run and the Saints never got closer than six points the rest of the game. Mosby gained 72 yards on seven carries on the drive.
Quarterback Thomas Temple scored on a 38-yard run with 1:57 remaining in the half to cut the deficit to 20-14 at halftime, but Plaquemine's big-play offense took over in the second half.
Nicholas Victorian threw scoring passes of 50 and 60 yards after halftime and Mosby closed the scoring with a 34-yard touchdown run.
Plaquemine finally got separation with 8:08 remaining in the game when Walker caught the 60-yard touchdown pass from Victorian to put the Green Devils ahead 33-14.
"We have to tackle," West Feliciana coach Devin Ducote said. "We have to do a better job of getting them ready to tackle the running back and to tackle in space"
West Feliciana (2-3, 2-1) got 168 yards rushing and two scores from Temple, who rushed 26 times.
"He is just a tough competitor," Ducote said of Temple. "It starts up front with our offensive line. Our coaches do a great job of putting together a run game that leans on his strengths"
"That's a good quality football team," Ducote said of Plaquemine. "It (the loss) counts as one and only one. We have to get better and try to make the corrections and figure out a way to win the next one."