By Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / February 16, 1998

BOUTTE – Brandon Kelly, Jarred Larousse and Paul LeBlanc had two goals apiece as the Hahnville Tigers rolled to a 9-0 victory over Abramson in the boys’ bi-district soccer playoffs Wednesday afternoon.

The Tigers, 11-7-3 on the season, advance to the regionals where they will face the winner of the Neville-St. Amant contest. Abramson, theDistrict 9-I runners-up, finished the season at 3-12.

The majority of the first half was played in the Abramson side of the field. Kerry Fonseca had the first opportunity for the Tigers in the openingminutes, but his shot on goal sailed wide right.

Abramson goalie Jeff Jordan followed with a save of a shot by Kelly and Jonathan Tregre’s attempt was deflected by the Commodores’ defense out of bounds.

Jason Davis took the corner kick and centered it to Kelly. Kelly took thepass and directed into the right side of the net past Jordan, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead at the five minute mark.

The Tigers kept up the attack as John Keller’s attempt went left of the goal and attempts by Fonseca and Tregre sailed high. Larousse thencentered a pass to Kelly, but his shot at the net was grabbed by Jordan.

Keller followed with another attempt that rolled just past the left corner of the net.

Hahnville made it 2-0 at the 13:30 mark as Mark Griffin took the ball on the right sideline and centered a pass to Kelly. Kelly took the pass andaimed it into the left corner for his second goal of the game.

After Jordan stopped a shot by Griffin, Abramson went on its first attack of the game as Hoang Nguyen took a pass over midfield. But Keller wasthere to break up the threat.

Hahnville went back on the offensive, with Jordan making saves of shots by Griffin and Fonseca. Larousse then took the ball down the rightsidelines, juked between two defenders, cut into the center of the field and fired a shot on goal that was grabbed by Jordan with a diving save.

The Tigers got back on the board as Fonseca passed to LeBlanc on the right side. LeBlanc lifted a kick toward the upper left corner of the net over thefingertips of a leaping Jordan, giving the Tigers a 3-0 advantage at the 30-minute mark. The Tigers extended that lead to 4-0 just before the halfas Larousse fired a corner kick from the left side into the right side of the net.

Abramson got its first opportunity to score on its ensuing possession as Nguyen was awarded a free kick in front of the goal. Nguyen’s kick sailedright, leaving the score 4-0 at the half. The shot was the Commodores’first of the half, compared to 26 by the Tigers.

Hahnville continued its attack into the second half. Larousse attempted ashot from the right side that bounded to the right of Jordan, extending the Tigers’ lead to 5-0 1:20 into the half.

After Adam Bordelon stopped a rush by the Commodores, Jeremy Davey found LeBlanc on the right side rushing in. LeBlanc knocked it in,increasing the lead to 6-0 at the 11-minute mark.

Nguyen led a Commodores attack minutes later, but Tim Sirmon was able to knock the ball back upfield. Travis Webre followed by taking the ballalong the right side and knocking it past the defense and Jordan to extend the lead to 7-0 23 minutes into the half.

After a free kick by Abramson was deflected by the Tigers’ defense, Chris Fordham closed out the scoring by intercepting a pass in the middle of the field and aiming a kick to the right of Jordan at the 39 minute mark.

Hahnville out-shot the Commodores 14-1 in the half and 40-2 for the game. Tim Sirmon was selected as the defensive player of the game forthe Tigers, while Ray Rochard received the honor for the Commodores.

“Everybody got a chance to play,” Hahnville coach Rafael de Vega said. “Wewere able to get everybody experience and playoff exposure.”

Return To News Stories