By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

BOUTTE – After a rare week off during the prep season, Hahnville returns to action Friday night to begin District 6-5A play.

The Tigers are set to travel to East Ascension after having an open date Week 5 due to the tragedy that befell scheduled opponent Vandebilt Catholic last week. Four VCHS students passed away Sept. 26, including two starters on the football team.

Valdin said that the week off afforded the Tigers an opportunity to fine tune some things.

“You get to go back and concentrate on fundamentals, on cleaning up some little things,” said Valdin. “Usually you’re focusing on an opponent. In this case, we got to focus on making ourselves better. And we’ve got a number of guys with bumps and bruises, so we get a bit healthier.”

East Ascension enters the game at 4-1, including consecutive wins over LaGrange, Ellender and Bonnabel.

The Spartans run the veer offense. Valdin is focused on the talents featured in the Spartan running game.

“They’ve got a stable of backs who all run really, really hard,” said Valdin. “They’ve improved each year. They’re executing much better, and their passing game is better than it has been.”

The Spartans defeated Bonnabel Friday, 44-7. Quarterback Emerson Foster and running back DaMarcus Jarvis led the way.

Last season, Hahnville defeated EA 47-2.

Rivalry games with Destrehan and East St. John loom on the 6-5A schedule, to say nothing of Dutchtown and an improved St. Amant team. Three different teams have won the district in the past four seasons — Destrehan has won twice, with Hahnville and East St. John each taking a turn.

“We’re looking forward to defending our district title. We know it’s a tough thing to do. We’re fired up. And we’re especially fired up to get back into action Friday,” said Valdin.

DESTREHAN HOSTS DUTCHTOWN – Destrehan’s fallen into a pattern of alternating wins and losses. The Wildcats (2-3) hope the trend holds steady this week as they host highly touted Dutchtown (5-0).

The Griffins are ranked third in Class 5A, powered by an explosive offense led by quarterback and Tulane commitment Leon Blouin and running back Effrim Reed (700 yards, 11 touchdowns). Dutchtown averages 32.6 points per game and holds wins over Lutcher, West Jefferson, Thibodaux, St. John and Parkview Baptist.

But it was defense that kept Dutchtown undefeated on Friday as it faced Parkview Baptist. The Griffins won 10-3, clinching the game on a fourth down stop with 17 seconds left, deep in Griffin territory.

Reed finished that game with 84 yards and a score on 23 carries. Destrehan’s defensive front is no less unforgiving than Parkview’s, and the Wildcats’ success should be determined up front again.

Destrehan successfully limited Dutchtown last season in a 14-6 road victory.

The Wildcats dominated the time of possession battle against Lutcher on Friday night, controlling the ball for over 30 minutes and rushing for 287 yards on a staggering 58 attempts.

But redzone woes hurt the Wildcats, who couldn’t keep Lutcher from scoring on any of its three trips to the redzone while nailing down only one touchdown of its own, Dillan Dent’s 5-yard rushing score.

Dent, making his second career start, rushed for 106 yards and a score on 30 carries.

Mark Trudeaux carried 14 times for 74 yards for DHS. Rickey Jefferson carried seven times for 53 yards.