MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 26, 1998

BOUTTE – In a game in which East St. John had 308 yards in offense, theWildcats would take home a 13-12 victory at Hahnville by less than a foot Friday night.

Kerry Fonseca’s 46-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left had the distance but hit off the left goal post, ending a game in which both teams had ample opportunities to put some distance between themselves.

East St. John improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in District 6-5A. Hahnvillefell to 1-6 overall and 0-5 in district action.

Hahnville took over on its final possession at its 38-yard line with 2:31 left. On the first play, Dawan Landry scrambled and picked up 20 yards tothe East St. John 42-yard line. A 7-yard pass to Mark Young and 3-yardruns by Charles Taylor and Landry gave the Tigers a first down at the 30.

Taylor was stopped for no gain and Young made a diving catch for a 1-yard gain with 12 seconds left. Fonseca was then called in to attempt the fieldgoal from the center of the field. After the miss, East St. John quarterbackkneeled down to end the game.

Despite out-gaining the Tigers 201-96, East St. John trailed at halftime,10-7. The Wildcats had a chance to go ahead on their first possession ofthe second half but Smith’s pass to Roydell Williams behind the Hahnville defense went off Williams’ fingertips.

Two possessions later, Brandon August fumbled for East St. John at hisown 30-yard line with Kade Rogers recovering for the Tigers. Three playsgained 6 yards and Fonseca was called in to attempt a 41-yard field that sailed wide right with 1:16 left in the third quarter.

East St. John took over at its 20 with August gaining nine yards on thefirst play. After an offsides penalty pushed the Wildcats five yards, Burltook the handoff, swept left, broke a couple of tackles and outraced the defenders down the left sidelines for the 76-yard score. Billy Hogan’sextra point was no good, leaving the score 13-10 with eight seconds left in the third quarter.

Hahnville had an opportunity to regain the lead after Smith fumbled on a draw on the Wildcats’ next possession and Josh Fiffie recovered for Hahnville at the East St. John 14-yard line. A pass interference callagainst East St. John in the end zone gave the Tigers a first down at the 7-yard line. But the Tigers could not capitalize as Taylor fumbled at the 6with Greg Gathers falling on it for East St. John.The Wildcats failed to move on the ensuing possession and were forced to punt. The snap back to Chris Bush skipped through the end zone for asafety, cutting the deficit to 13-12 with 6:08 remaining.

Young returned the ensuing free kick to the East St. John 38-yard line. Onthird-and-10 from the 48, Carl Raymond made a leaping catch of pass from Landry at the 30-yard line for a first down. But two plays later,Samson Monica knifed into the backfield, causing a fumble by Taylor which John Moll recovered for East St. John at the Wildcats’ 26-yard line. After a 13-yard sweep by Burl gave the Wildcats a first down at the East St. John 42-yard line, the Tigers defense held, setting up Hahnville’s lastdrive.

Hahnville used a little razzle-dazzle to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter. On the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage, Landry tossed a screenpass to Norvel Revader on the right side. Revader pulled up and heaved apass to a wide open Cory Woods in the end zone. Fonseca’s extra pointmade it 7-0 with 10:20 left in the first quarter.

The Hahnville defense gave the offense good field position two possessions later when Tommy Theriot hit Bush from behind on a reverse and Shelby Boyle recovered for the Tigers at their 36-yard line.

Landry completed passes of 12 and 13 yards to Revader as the Tigers drove to the 46. Taylor followed with a 16-yard run up the middle andLandry connected with Revader that gave the Tigers a first down at the 9- yard line.

Three runs netted 7 yards and Fonseca came in to hit a 20-yard field goal from the left hash mark, increasing the Hahnville lead to 10-0 with 9:57 left in the half.

East St. John took over at its 4-yard line on its next possession. Smithwent up the middle for 5 yards to give the Wildcats some breathing room and on the next play, threw deep down the left sidelines for Williams.

Williams came back for the slightly underthrown pass, broke the tackle and cut into the middle of the field before being hauled down the Hahnville 35-yard line.

Smith followed by gaining 18 yards on a keeper up the middle. On thefollowing play, Smith’s pass went over Karone Champagne’s hands to Williams in the left side of the end zone. Hogan’s extra point trimmed thedeficit to 10-7 with 8:30 left in the half.

East St. John threatened again on its next possession but Smith’s pass wasbatted in the air and intercepted by Shane Smith at the Hahnville 32-yard line. Smith returned the interception inside the East St. John 25-yard linebut the play was brought back to the 42 because of a clip.

Hahnville got a break as a clip was called on East St. John as Fonsecascrambled to his right to punt the ball to the 1-yard line. After the ballwas placed at the 37, Fonseca attempted a 54-yard field goal but had it blocked.

East St. John took over on its 41-yard line with Smith scrambling for 13yards on the second play of the series. Two plays later Smith scrambledagain on a quarterback draw for a 24-yard gain to the 21-yard line. But theTigers came up with two sacks and on fourth down from the 38, Bush’s pass on a screen was knocked down in the end zone.

Smith finished the evening with eight completions in 15 attempts for 136 yards and a score. Smith also ran 11 times for 43 yards. Burl had ninerushes for 75 yards while Williams caught five passes for 98 yards.

Landry passed for 94 yards on 10 completions in 18 attempts. Revader wasthe leading receiver with four catches for 44 yards while Young had four catches for 28 yards.

East St. John travels to Central Lafourche while Hahnville heads to SouthLafourche next Friday.

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