Tigers surge past Wildcats
Published 12:00 am Monday, September 25, 2000
MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 25, 2000
RESERVE – During the week, Hahnville head coach Lou Valdin said the keys to his team’s game against East St. John were rushing yards and turnovers.The Tigers won both battles and the war, defeating East St. John, 23-10, inthe District 7-5A opener for both teams Friday night at Joe Keller Stadium.
Hahnville improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in district. East St. John slipped to2-2 overall and 0-1 in district play.
Hahnville had 173 of its 211 yards on 31 rushing carries. Skyler Boyle led theattack with 110 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Dawan Landry ran 11times for 52 yards and a touchdown. Charles Taylor added 12 yards and atouchdown on seven carries. Landry also completed 3-of-13 passes for 38yards.
East St. John finished with 242 yards in offense. Darwin Pittman completed9-of-26 passes for 160 yards and three interceptions. Raydel Patterson hadfour catches for 65 yards. The Wildcats gained another 82 yards on 40carries. Chuckie Burl had 76 of the yards on 25 carries. Hahnville had taken over possession at its 25 on its first possession of the second half after Robert Bate intercepted Pittman at the 19 and returned it six yards. Two plays later, with the Tigers’ offense being held in check, Boyletook the pitch, swept left and outran everybody down the sidelines to complete the 75-yard score. The extra point was wide left, leaving the score13-10 with 7:03 remaining in the third quarter.
Hahnville got the ball right back as Mark Young stepped in front of the receiver and made a diving interception of Pittman at the East St. John 32.Boyle and Landry each carried for four yards and Boyle added an 8-yard gain up the middle to the 6. The Wildcats held and Matt Cummins came in to hit a22-yard field goal, increasing the lead to 16-10 with 8:35 left in the game.
Hahnville would hold and come right back down the field. Taking over at theHahnville 46, Boyle swept left for 11 yards to the Wildcat 45. Three playslater, Landry faked a pitch, spun left and went down the left sidelines for a 25-yard gain to the 11. Two plays later, Landry faked another handoff up themiddle and swept around the right side for the touchdown from 10 yards out.
Cummins added the extra point, giving Hahnville a 23-10 lead with 4:33 left.
East St. John had taken a 10-7 lead late in the first half. Taking over at theWildcat 30, Tremaine Moore swept left for eight yards. Pittman picked upthe first down on a 3-yard sneak. On third-and-11 from the 40, MervinWilliams made an over-the-shoulder catch on the left sidelines for a 28-yard gain to the Hahnville 32. Pittman came back with a 9-yard pass to Pattersonto the 23.
Burl twice picked up nine yards on runs, giving the Wildcats a first down at the 2. Three plays later, Pittman dove up the middle, slid off the pile and fellinto the end zone from a yard out. Chance Blank added the extra point,making it 10-7 with 30.2 seconds left in the half.The Wildcats squibbed the ensuing kickoff and Travis Walker recovered the bouncing ball for the Wildcats at the Hahnville 26. A pass interference callpushed the Wildcats back to the 41 and Nick Cannon intercepted Pittman’s pass in the end zone as the half ended.
Hahnville got on the scoreboard first, driving 37 yards in eight plays as the second quarter opened after a 23-yard punt by the Wildcats. Landry pickedup a first down on a 4-yard sneak on third-and-1 from the 28. Three playslater, the drive was again kept alive as Landry connected with Aaron Alexander on a 7-yard pass on third-and-5 from the 19. Taylor took it in on adive up the middle from three yards out two plays later. Matt Cummins addedthe extra point, making it 7-0 with 7:57 left in the half.
Brandon Mason took the ensuing kickoff at his 13, went up the middle, broke through a pack, cut left and took it down the left sidelines before being taken down by Cummins at midfield. On third-and-9 from the 49, Pittmanfloated a pass that was caught by Patterson on the left sidelines for a 42- yard gain to the Hahnville 7. The Tigers held and Blank came in to hit the 25-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 7-3 with 6:05 left.
Turnovers haunted both teams in the first quarter. East St. John started itsfirst possession at its 46 and drove to the Hahnville 28 but Burl fumbled the toss and Ryan Keys recovered for the Tigers, returning it to the 48.
East St. John took over its next possession at its 29 and moved to the 10 ona 34-yard pass from Pittman to Louis Gardner. But two plays later, Williamstook in a short pass from Pittman and fumbled with David Pierre recovering for Hahnville at the 10.
Taylor made a one-handed catch over the middle for a 25-yard gain to the 35. But on the next play, Taylor fumbled a pitch on the option with KentrellRobertson recovering for the Wildcats on the 30.
Hahnville would hold and the snap was bounced back to Williams on the punt attempt with Williams being stopped at the 42. The Tigers were stopped butCummins pinned the Wildcats back to their 16 with a 43-yard punt. Pierresacked Pittman at his 14 on third-and-eight.
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