By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

BOUTTE – Hahnville’s Ernest Thompson erupted in the fourth quarter of Friday’s Hahnville/Higgins game, scoring three times in the final stanza to lift Hahnville to a 25-8 victory over Higgins.

The Hurricanes fell for the first time in District 8-5A play; it still controls its own destiny for at least a share of the district crown, but it must defeat East St. John next week in Reserve.

For Hahnville, its own district title dreams are alive. If Higgins can indeed fell the Wildcats next week, Hahnville is in line for a share of a title that could potentially be split three ways.

Thompson rushed for 120 yards on 12 carries and scored on runs of 3, 5 and 54 yards. The first, the 3-yarder, put HHS ahead 9-8, then 11-8 when Thompson found paydirt on a conversion run.

HHS’ lone score in the first three quarters came via a Craig Ford 42-yard field goal.

Quarterback Easton Melancon returned to the Hahnville lineup after missing last week’s rivalry game with East St. John due to food poisoning. He completed 7 of 12 passes for 120 yards.

Higgins’ last gasp essentially came midway through the fourth quarter, when Hahnville stopped the Hurricanes inside the HHS 40 on fourth down. Thompson took care of the rest, extending an 18-8 lead to 25-8 on his 54 yard scoring romp.

Darrel Williams scored the Hurricanes’ only touchdown on a four yard run in the second quarter. He’d tack on a conversion run.

LUTCHER – Lutcher warded off a second quarter push by Belaire to win in convincing fashion once again Friday, beating the Bengals 49-12 in a District 6-4A contest.

The Bulldogs (7-1, 5-0) have won seven straight, all by 13 points or more. It is a half game up on fellow district undefeated squad Plaquemine. The two teams will face off in the final game of the season at Plaquemine.

Lutcher led 21-0 in the second quarter when Belaire (1-6, 1-3) began to stir, first scoring on a Jarvis York 3-yard run, then his 2-yard passing touchdown to Devin Day. Both conversion attempts failed, making it 21-12, which it would remain at halftime.

But from there, it was all Lutcher. Ruston Matherne scored on an 11-yard run to make it 28-12 with 3:30 left in the third quarter. And on the first play of the fourth quarter, Troy Favorite all but put things away on his 69-yard interception return for a touchdown. Matherne connected with Trey Martin for a score and Daniel Taylor added another to cap things for the Bulldogs late.

Lutcher’s three first quarter touchdowns came when Matherne hit Jared Poche for a 3-yard score; on Dorian Semien’s 1-yard run; and on Daniel Taylor’s 23-yard run. Nicholas Gatch converted extra point kicks on all three scoring efforts.

Lutcher compiled 324 yards of offense to the Bengals’ 210. But Lutcher created much more separation in the turnover department, forcing six Belaire turnovers, including four interceptions.

ST. JAMES — E.D. White kept St. James winless Friday night, defeating the Wildcats 21-6 in a District 7-3A game at St. James.

SJH (0-8, 0-3) got off to a positive start, scoring first and taking a 6-0 lead on LaRohn Cambre’s 23-yard run, a play set up by a long pass from D’Kwan Sandolph to David Pierre in the second quarter.

But the lead was short lived, in part due to a Wildcats’ mistake on special teams. A fumbled punt on a return attempt led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Colby Quatrevingt, making it a 7-6 Cardinals (4-4, 1-2) lead at half.

The teams would not score in the third, but Quatrevingt scored again in the fourth from a yard away, after a long pass play set the Cardinals up.

Daniel Steib would add an insurance touchdown run from 13 yards away.