MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 1, 1999

BOUTTE – The Lou Valdin era opens at Hahnville as the Tigers host Sarah Reed Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.Valdin will be coaching his first game with the Tigers after coaching the team’s defensive line a year ago. Before that, he coached East St. John toconsecutive playoff appearances, the team’s first in the 1990s.

Valdin takes over a program that went 1-8 a season ago with the Tigers’ only win coming over Sarah Reed, 14-6.

Hahnville is coming off a 27-14 loss to Lutcher in the Roussel’s Goodyear River Parishes Jamboree Friday night. The Bulldogs got off to a quickstart, returning the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown.

“It kind of took some momentum away from us,” Valdin said of the return.

Lutcher went out to a 27-0 lead before the Tigers rallied for two scores in the second half. While Valdin said you never want to trail in a game, itdid give him an opportunity to see what his players were made of.

“I wanted to see how the team would respond in the second half,” Valdin said. “I thought we played ok in the second half.”Dawan Landry completed 6 of 13 passes for 72 yards and had touchdown strikes to Darryl Honor and Kade Rogers. Brooke Dufrene led the rushingattack with 36 yards on six carries.

In Reed, the Tigers will play a similar team to the Bulldogs in the quality of its skill players. The Olympians are coming off a 27-20 loss to O.P.Walker in the West Jefferson Jamboree Friday night. Wide receiverDonovan Morgan scored three times in the contest.

“He’s a big-time receiver,” Valdin said of Morgan.

The Olympians also return quarterback Victor Parker and running back from their regional playoff team of a year ago. The team is also veryathletic up front on defense.

“Don’t beat ourselves,” Valdin said of the key to the game. “Our team isnot good enough to play bad and win. We have to learn not to lose and notgo out and make mistakes to get us beat. We have to keep mistakes downto a minimum.

“We have to make the other team make enough mistakes and capitalize on them. And we have to be able to control the tempo of the game. We wantan up-tempo game.”Special teams will also be a major factor. Last year, the Tigers got theirtouchdowns off a blocked punt and a fumble recovery in the end zone. In1997, a blocked field goal return helped send the Tigers to a 35-21 victory.

“Special teams have been a major part in beating them the last couple of years,” Valdin said.

Hahnville hosts Poncha-toula next Friday while Reed travels to South Lafourche.

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