By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LUTCHER – Lutcher tailback Daniel Taylor’s 45-yard touchdown run broke a 21-21 tie and Chase Caldarera’s 54-yard interception return for a touchdown salted away the win as Lutcher got past Hahnville, 34-21, Friday night at the school’s new “Dog Yard” stadium.

Taylor’s touchdown run, his first of the night, came with 2:20 remaining in the game.

But that was enough time for Hahnville to threaten to know things up again. Caldarera responded with the team’s biggest defensive play to date, picking off Tigers’ quarterback Easton Melancon for the score.

Taylor rushed 17 times for 114 yards for Lutcher. LHS quarterback Ruston Matherne completed 5 of 14 pass attempts for 138 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those went to Sully Martin; another went to Dorian Semien.

For Hahnville, Ernest Thompson paced the Tiger run attack with 98 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. His 62 yard run in the fourth quarter tied the game with just over eight minutes left. Travis Faucheaux gained 60 yards on 21 attempts. Overall Hahnville ran for 210 yards and held possession for over 28 minutes of game time – controlling the clock, and by extension keeping Lutcher’s powerful offense on the sideline, was a point of emphasis for HHS coach Lou Valdin all week.

But the Bulldogs, as they do more often than not, dialed up the big play with great success. All four of the team’s offensive touchdowns spanned 25 yards or more.

The score remained close all night. The teams were in a scoreless tie after a quarter; it was 7-7 at halftime and 14-14 after three quarters.

Easton Melancon and Kailon Carter combined for a touchdown to begin the game, a 29 yard score. Carter finished with two receptions for 51 yards. Melancon completed 7 of his 21 pass attempts for 110 yards. He added 41 yards rushing.

Hahnville turned the ball over twice. Lutcher finished with no turnovers.

KARR 29, DESTREHAN 27 (O.T.) – Karr’s backs were against the wall at 0-2, and the Cougars came up big on Friday with a victory over Destrehan at Destrehan.

Devante Noil overcame three interceptions to accumulate 297 total yards (200 passing) and three touchdown passes. He also added the winning points to the total with his two-point conversion run in overtime.

Rickey Jefferson’s 2-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter was the last score in regulation, scoring overtime.

In overtime, Noil found Rasheed Davis for a short touchdown pass. Destrehan had a chance to answer and found pay dirt on Dillan Dent’s 5-yard pass to Kevin Smith; but the DHS run attempt for two was no goods Karr stopped Jefferson, then a lateral attempt.

Jefferson scored twice on the night for DHS, including a 24 yard run in the first half. Richard Miles scored the game’s first points on an interception return.

Davis scored twice and caught five passes for 97 yards to pace Karr.

PATTERSON 47, ST. JAMES 0 – Patterson raced out to a 20-0 lead in the first nine minutes of play Friday night and rolled past St. James, 47-0.

The second ranked team in Class 3A, the Lumberjacks rolled up 407 yards of total offense and created turnovers early, allowing Patterson to surge. It would build a 33-0 halftime lead.

Larohn Cambre led St. James with 16 yards rushing.

Travon Stewart led Patterson with 124 yards (58 rushing, 66 receiving) and three touchdowns on 10 touches.