Hahnville beats Roneagles in shootout; Dutchtown pulls away from Destrehan in second half

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 1, 2011

By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

BOUTTE — It didn’t take long for the fireworks to begin at Hahnville Friday night, as the Tigers pulled out to a 29-24 lead — after only one quarter of play.

Things calmed down from that high-water mark, but the scoring was far from over. In the end, Hahnville was left standing with the most big plays, downing the Roneagles, 57-38, in the final non-district game for both teams.

Easton Melancon posted four total touchdowns, completing 6 of his 11 passes for 103 yards.

Hahnville made much of its headway on the ground, however, as both Ernest Thompson (19-146) and Travis Faucheaux (20-126) tallied over 100 yards on the ground. Each also scored a pair of touchdowns.

For McDonogh No. 35, Carlos Henderson was the star of the night, carrying eight times for 108 yards and two scores.

The explosive first quarter began with the teams swapping touchdowns. Melancon dialed up Jaylon Bryant for a 53-yard touchdown pass to put HHS ahead 7-0, but Kedrick Banks answered back on the ensuing kickoff, returning it for a 95-yard touchdown. The Roneagles went for two successfully to take an 8-7 lead.

Ernest Thompson put HHS back ahead on his first score, an 11-yard run, and HHS extended their lead to 16-8 when it recorded a safety after a bad Roneagles snap into their own endzone. Faucheaux looked primed to blow the game open for the Tigers on his 23-yard touchdown run on HHS’ next possession, as his team took a 22-8 lead.

But Henderson struck for the first time on a 79-yard touchdown run. The two-pointer was good to make it 22-16. Melancon capped Hahnville’s next drive with another touchdown pass, this one to Mike Ford from four yards away, but Henderson’s 4-yard touchdown run again pulled McDonogh within a score, and yet another two-pointer made it 29-24.

But from there, the Tigers put the game to bed and did it quickly, scoring the next three touchdowns of the night. Faucheaux scored a 4-yard touchdown to make it 36-24 in the second quarter, and Kailon Carter caught a 4-yard scoring pass from Melancon before halftime to make it 43-26. Melancon added a touchdown run to his total to make it 50-26; the Roneagles could get no closer than 16 the rest of the way.

Hahnville (2-3) posted 459 yards of total offense. McDonogh No. 35 (2-3) had 316.

DUTCHTOWN 28, DESTREHAN 7 — Despite an early 78-yard touchdown by one of the state’s elite talents in Dutchtown’s Landon Collins, Destrehan hung tough at home with No. 2 Dutchtown, trailing 7-0 at the half.

But two first half fumbles lost in the Dutchtown redzone proved costly, and the Griffins put up three second half touchdowns to emerge from Destrehan with the win.

Destrehan outgained Dutchtown 408-272 and held the Griffins to six passing yards. But Collins and Mason Nickens combined for three touchdowns and over 200 rushing yards.

Destrehan’s Kevin Smith was a workhorse as he tallied 134 total yards on 30 total touches and scored a fourth quarter touchdown. Dillan Dent passed for 190 yards on the night, completing 15 of 24 attempts. He threw one interception.