Lutcher extends winning streak

Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 4, 2000

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 4, 2000

LUTCHER – With the Lutcher offense having trouble putting Donaldsonville away in the second half Friday night, the Bulldogs special teams and defense came up with two big plays to accomplish the job.

Chris Johnson returned a punt 42 yards and James Williams brought back an interception 90 yards to lead the Bulldogs to a 35-13 victory in the regular season finale.

Lutcher finished the regular season at 7-3 overall and 4-0 in District 9-3A.

The win was the Bulldogs’ fifth straight.

Donaldsonville finished at 4-6 overall and 1-3 in district.

Tyrone Martin led the Lutcher offense with 157 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Risley St. Germain completed 11 of his 19 passes for 168yards and a touchdown. Johnson had three catches for 43 yards. DonnieFrancois had two for 50 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs finished with363 yards in offense, 195 coming on 40 rushes.

Donaldsonville had 237 yards in offense. Terrance Brown completed 15-of-35passes for 134 yards. Antonio Johnson carried seven times for 85 yards anda score. Edmond Joseph caught six passes for 53 yards. Oscar Bennett alsohad six catches for 64 yards.

Jonathan Lear had two sacks for Lutcher. He also knocked down a pass andhad a potential touchdown saving tackle on a kick return.

Donaldsonville pulled to within 21-13 with two seconds left in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Mike Lymon. The Tigers had taken over at theLutcher 11 after Bennett had recovered a fumble by St. Germain on ahandoff. Esiquio Salgado missed the extra point to leave the margin at eight.Lutcher drove from its 29 to the Donaldsonville 17 on the next possession behind a 15-yard pass from St. Germain to Johnson and a roughing-the-passer call. But the Tigers held and T.J. Bourgeois’ 42-yard field goalattempt was short.

Donaldsonville was forced to punt on its next possession with Johnson racing in to take it in at the Tigers’ 42. Johnson cut to the left sidelines, brokethrough a pile, got a block inside the 10 and cut in for the score. Bourgeoisadded the extra point to increase the lead to 28-13 with 6:05 left in the game.

Donaldsonville drove to the Lutcher 32 on the ensuing possession behind a 19-yard completion from Brown to Bennett on fourth down from the Tigers 26 and a personal foul call against the Bulldogs. On fourth down, Brown threwto the left side where Williams picked it off at the 10 and sailed down the left sidelines untouched for the score. Andy Bernson added the extra pointthis time, making it 35-13 with three minutes remaining.

The Lutcher defense set up the Bulldogs’ first score of the second half after they had taken a 14-7 lead into halftime. Jimmy Joseph fumbled a pitch onDonaldsonville’s opening possession of the half and Chris Lee recovered for the Bulldogs at the Tigers’ 34.

It took the Bulldogs only two plays to capitalize on the gift. Martin went upthe middle for 11 yards on the first play to the 23. On the next play, Martinagain hit a hole in the middle, broke through and went in for the score.

Bourgeois connected on the extra point, giving the Bulldogs a 21-7 lead at 10:15 of the third quarter.

Donaldsonville struck on its first possession of the game after being pinned at its own 8-yard line. On second down, Brown found Joseph streaking downthe left sidelines for a 44-yard gain to the Lutcher 48. On the next play,Johnson took an option pitch right, turned the corner and went down the sidelines for the score. Salgado added the extra point, giving the Tigers a 7-0lead with 9:41 left in the first quarter.

Lutcher answered on its next possession, going 63 yards in 12 plays. Onsecond down from the Lutcher 39, St. Germain hit Francois coming acrossthe middle for 26 yards to the Donaldsonville 35. Martin and Jared O’Nealcarried to the 19 where St. Germain hit James Williams on the left side for10 yards. On fourth down from the one, Martin was tripped up but kept hisbalance and went off right tackle for the score. T.J. Bourgeois made theextra point to tie the score at 7 with 3:37 remaining in the first.

Dio Bernard intercepted St. Germain at the Donaldsonville 32 on the nextpossession, returning it the Lutcher 46. The Tigers drove to the 25 beforethe Bulldogs held.

Lutcher took over the next possession at its 20 and drove 80 yards in five plays. Martin twice carried for 12 yards, taking the ball to midfield. St. Germain hit Cory Bourgeois crossing over the middle for 26 yards to the24, then came right back with a 24-yard pass to Francois slanting in from the left for the score. Bourgeois added the extra point, making it 14-7 with7:50 left in the half.

Donaldsonville drove to the Lutcher 27 late in the half thanks to a roughing- the-punter call. Brown found Oscar Bennett for 19 yards to the 33. But theBulldogs again held, with Bernard being thrown for a 6-yard loss on fourth down.

Lutcher had a scoring opportunity late in the half after Johnson returned a punt to the Bulldogs’ 45. Martin carried 13 yards up the middle to the 42 onthe first play. Two plays later, St. Germain hit O’Neal for five yards. A face-masking penalty gave the Bulldogs a first down at the 25. But on the nextplay, St. Germain fumbled and Johnson recovered for the Tigers.Lutcher took over its final possession of the half at its 33 with 1:22 left. St.Germain found Chris Johnson on the left sidelines for 22 yards to the Tiger 40.

Passes of 10 yards each to Bourgeois and Leigh Veron gave the Bulldogs a first down at the 16. Bourgeois came in for a 33-yard field goal but had itsail wide left as time expired.

Lutcher is projected to host District 9-3A rival E.D. White in the Class 3A bi-district playoffs next week.

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