Terrance Isaac helps Tigers secure 7th seed in playoffs

By STEVE AICARD

Sports Writer

HAHNVILLE — “The team felt good. We wanted to come back after losing last week, and we played well. Our kids have a lot of pride and they came out and played hard,” Coach Lou Valdin said of his Hahnville Tigers after they defeated the Assumption Mustangs, 49-20.

The Tigers win brings their regular season record to 7-2 overall and 3-2 in district, good for the seventh seed in the 5A playoff brackets. The Mustangs finish their season at 2-7 overall and 0-4 in district.

“The offensive line was able to open the field allowing me to execute.” Said Tiger running back Terrance Isaac of his two touchdown, 150-yard rushing performance.

Hahnville wasted no time in taking charge of the game. Following the opening kickoff, on the first play from scrimmage, Isaac broke into the open field going 62-yards from the Hahnville 38 for the early lead. Robbie Broach’s extra point attempt was good making the score 7-0, Hahnville.

The lead remained as the Hahnville defense kept the Mustang offense penned up. Then with 4:15 left in the first quarter, Assumption attempted a punt, but a swarm of Tiger defenders blocked the kick into the end zone where the Tigers recovered for another touchdown. Broach’s extra point attempt was good, for a 14-0 Hahnville lead.

With 6:25 remaining in the second quarter, sophomore Laron Byrd scored on a three-yard run to make it 21-0 following Broach’s PAT.

The Mustangs finally broke onto the scoreboard when James Landry ran it in from 11 yards with 5:10 remaining in the half. The two-point conversion was good to make it 21-8 Hahnville.

But Hahnville marched right back to a 21 point lead when James connected with senior Brian Singleton on a 20-yard pass that set up an Isaac touchdown from the one-yard line, with 2:34 remaining in the half. The two-point conversion brought the score to 29-8.

And just before the half, Hahnville extended the lead on a nine-yard James scramble into the end zone. Broach’s extra point attempt was good for a 36-8 lead.

Just under two minutes into the second half, Carl Francis tightened the scoring gap on a five-yard run into the end zone for the Mustangs. The two-point conversion failed leaving it 36-14 Hahnville.

But Hahnville quickly lashed back at the Mustangs when sophomore Ivory Washington took the Assumption kickoff up the middle 95 yards for a touchdown with 10:01 remaining in the quarter. The extra point attempt failed making the score, 42-14.

The fourth quarter saw a number of reserves entering the game for Hahnville, which drove into Assumption territory where Jeremy Barnes ran 11 yards in for another touchdown with 9:39 left in the game. Broach’s extra point attempt was good making the score, 49-14.

Assumption was able to break on to the scoreboard one more time on a 10-yard Francis rushing TD with 7:16 remaining in the game. A failed extra point attempt brought it to the final, 49-20.

“Offensively we controlled the ball very well. I’m very pleased with this kind of effort going into the playoffs.” Valdin said after the game.

Hahnville has qualified for the seventh seed in Class 5A, and will host number 26 West Jefferson next Friday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the playoffs.