By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LUTCHER — Lutcher gets a break from district play this week. But besides not counting within the district standings, its game with Assumption is not a break in any other way, shape or form.

The Mustangs, the No. 3 ranked team in Class 4A, are 8-0 this season and have topped the 40-point mark five times. It’s most recent win was a 27-20 victory over former Lutcher district foe Vandebilt Catholic.

Quarterback Hunter Gautreaux and running back Chris Johnson are among the offensive leaders for Assumption.

Lutcher comes off of its latest decisive victory, a 49-12 win over Belaire in district play.

After a pair of Belaire scores, Lutcher led just 21-12 at halftime. From there, the Bulldogs rolled.

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.

EHRET AT HAHNVILLE – If Higgins can defeat East St. John on Friday night, chaos will reign in District 8-5A. That would drop the so far unbeaten in district Wildcats into a three-way tie with Higgins and the winner of this clash of teams with 2-1 district records.

Ehret struggled mightily to begin the year, dropping its first six games, including a one-sided contest to East St. John. But Ehret (2-6, 2-1) has won two straight, taking close wins over Destrehan and Bonnabel, to find itself in position to contend for top district honors.

Hahnville (4-4, 2-1) is also playing much better ball after a 1-3 start. The Tigers lost a heartbreaker to ESJ two weeks ago, but rebounded last week for a 25-8 win over Higgins.

The Tiger defense has truly come into its own, stifling the Hurricanes and Bonnabel and doing the same for three quarters against ESJ before an inspired Wildcats’ comeback. Hahnville had lost multiple games this year in the fourth quarter, but its win over Higgins gave coach Lou Valdin what he wanted to see: a strong finish, as Ernest Thompson scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to make the difference.

BONNABEL AT DESTREHAN — Destrehan (2-6, 0-3) continues to battle injuries as it took its sixth straight defeat on Friday, falling to East St. John.

A game defensive effort gives hope though against a Bonnabel (4-3, 0-3) team that has fallen in three straight games – to Hahnville, 24-15; to Higgins, 20-14; and to Ehret, 22-21.

Ryan Evans, Dorsha Evans, Mike Alexander and Darius Gardner help lead a run-heavy offensive attack for the Bruins.