Turnovers and penalties were the downfall of the Hahnville Tigers Friday night as the St. Augustine Purple Knights pulled ahead in the second half of the game to take a 40-21 victory.
The Purple Knights struck early on their first drive. The first play of the game yielded a pass interference penalty against the Tigers and Purple Knight running back Leonard Fournette ran the ball in from seven yards out for the first score of the game. Tiger defensive back Jerquinick Sandolph intercepted the two-point conversion attempt to hold the score at 6-0.
The Knights’ next drive seemed to be headed for another score until Tiger defensive lineman Logan Gonzalez hit quarterback Toi Jenkins and knocked the ball loose. Tiger defensive lineman Jamon Lathers then picked up the ball and rumbled 82 yards for a touchdown to give Hahnville a 7-6 lead.
That lead was short lived, however, as Fournette broke off an 80-yard touchdown run on the Knights’ ensuing drive. This time, the two-point conversion was good, giving them a 14-7 lead.
But it was the Tigers who would rule the rest of the first half. After a couple of stalled drives, Hahnville took to the air as quarterback Easton Melancon connected with wide receiver Ronnie Green and running back Travis Faucheaux on 30 and 47-yard touchdown receptions, giving the Tigers a 21-14 lead.
Melancon would have eight completions for 165 yards on the night.
St. Augustine threatened in the first half’s closing seconds, but again Sandolph came up big as he tipped a Toi pass in the endzone on fourth and goal, preventing the Knights from closing the gap.
Unfortunately, the Tigers would never score again in the game. After Fournette found the endzone again on a 30-yard run on the Knights’ opening drive, things went horribly wrong.
The Tigers fumbled on three straight possessions, twice on the snap, which led to two St. Augustine touchdowns. Both were on passes from Jenkins to wide receiver Larry Dace. Fournette also scored his fourth touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter on a 27-yard pass.
The loss causes the Tigers to fall to 1-3 on the season heading into their matchup against McDonogh 35 next Friday at home.
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West Jefferson 26 Destrehan 14
The Destrehan defense, which had been impressive in the Wildcats first three games, struggled against West Jefferson as the Bucs took advantage of missed tackles on their way to a 26-14 victory.
But it wasn’t all on the defense. The Wildcat offense didn’t show any signs of life until the end of the third quarter, when Destrehan finally got on the scoreboard on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Dillan Dent to Ferman Victor.
By then it was too late and the Wildcats trailed 26-7 heading into the fourth.
The Buccaneers struck first with 3:38 left in the opening quarter on a 44-yard run by Ronald Lewis. Lewis was actually trapped five yards in the backfield on the play, but he shrugged off the Destrehan defender, reversed field and found a seam down the left sideline.
The extra point was no good and West Jefferson led 6-0.
The Destrehan defense held tough for much of the second quarter, but with their offense failing to sustain drives, they got worn down towards the end of the second. The Bucs gashed the Destrehan D using their running game and then scored their second touchdown of the night on a 12-yard pass from David Davis to Jamell Gilbert. Destrehan would block the extra point, but the Bucs
extended the lead to 12-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, the ball soared over the heads of returners Rickey Jefferson and Kevin Smith. Smith backtracked to pick up the ball at the 2-yard line and managed to take it five yards to the 7. With only 2:14 left until the half, Dent dropped back and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown to give West Jefferson a 19-0 lead.
The Bucs increased their lead in the third after successfully converting a fake punt for a 35-yard gain to the Destrehan 10-yard line. Devin Scott scored a play later on a 4-yard run to put West Jefferson on top 26-0.
Dent’s first touchdown pass of the game came on the last play of the third, and the Wildcats would score one more touchdown in the fourth. It wasn’t enough as they fall to 3-2.
They will host Dutchtown on Friday at 7 p.m.
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