In an offensive shootout, Plaquemine looked for one stop to lift itself past Belle Chasse.

John Walker gave his Green Devils that and more.

Belle Chasse trailed by 10 midway through the fourth quarter but reached the Plaquemine 9-yard line. Mason Sauer fired a pass to the end zone, but Walker jumped in front of it for an interception. He then shifted across the field and found green grass for a 100-yard pick-six.

Walker also caught two touchdown passes as No. 16 Plaquemine (7-4) pulled away late to beat No. 17 Belle Chasse 50-27 in the Division II nonselect first round on Friday night at Plaquemine High. 

"I told my coach I want to play defense this week," Walker said. "Playmakers make plays in big games, so I just made a play." 

Walker had extra motivation since it was his birthday.

"I told them I wasn't leaving without it," Walker said. "I wasn't going home on my birthday. I wasn't going home by any means."

Plaquemine quarterback Jermaine Robinson completed 12 of his 13 passes for 186 yards. Spencer Collins added four rushing touchdowns. Walker finished with five receptions for 107 yards.

"The message was, let's play a complete game," Plaquemine coach Donald Williams said. "I think we went out tonight and played a complete offensive game."

Plaquemine led by two after the first quarter after Collins scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown that was set up by a 34-yard reception by Walker. The Belle Chasse offense found the red zone twice in the first quarter, but the Green Devils held them to two field goals.

Early in the second quarter, Belle Chasse recovered a muffed kickoff by Plaquemine to take over at the Green Devils' 34-yard line. Khai Wallace scored a 1-yard touchdown run to take the lead after taking over with a short field.

On the ensuing drive, Robinson completed a 20-yard pass to Raiaunce Williby to reach midfield. Two plays later, a late hit helped move Plaquemine inside the red zone. The Green Devils then faced fourth down. Robinson lofted the ball to Walker, who brought it down in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown.

"He's elite," Williams said of Walker. "He wants to be in positions to help his teammates."

Belle Chase (7-4) answered in just three plays after Sauer found a hole for a 19-yard touchdown late in the first half. 

Just before halftime, Robinson found Williby for an 18-yard pass just past midfield. He fumbled, but Walker scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 45 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown to put Plaquemine up 24-20 at the half.

Plaquemine made it a two-score game early in the third with an 11-play, 65-yard drive. Collins scored his second touchdown with a 7-yard run.

Belle Chasse answered after Sauer found Hank Sauer for a 39-yard touchdown midway through the third.

The Green Devils fired back after Collins finished off a 10-play, 54-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown. The Cardinals drove down the field, but Walker ended the drive with a pick-six. Collins added a 3-yard touchdown to cap off the victory. 

Plaquemine will face top-seeded Neville in round two.