Preston Joseph Hebert Sr.
October 28, 2008
Olive "Nookie" Sonnier Pitre
October 30, 2008
When Dennis Lorio returned to coach the Thibodaux High Tigers this season he knew one thing: He had a good defense.
“When I first looked at the tape, I said ‘You mean we have our entire front seven returning?'” he said. “We had some athletes. I knew we would be good defensively.”
He just didn’t know they would be this good.
Through six games this season, the Tigers have allowed 19 points and have not allowed double digits in any of there games this year. In fact, it wasn’t until the fourth week against H.L. Bourgeois that they allowed their first points (nine).
The next week, they held the South Terrebonne Gators to seven and held the crosstown rival E.D. White Cardinals to three points Friday night.
After trailing 3-0 at halftime, the defense kept the Cardinals in check until the offense could finally get going.
The Tigers (6-0) first score was set up by an unknown entity in the Tigers offense. Sophomore receiver Joshua Johnson caught a pass on a slant route inside the Cardinal 10-yard-line.
Trovon Reed (20 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD), playing quarterback, finished the job two plays later, putting his team ahead 6-3 with 8:29 to play.
After getting inside the red zone and coming away with no points three other times, seeing the Tigers finally in the end zone was a relief for their coach.
“Finally, that’s the thing,” Lorio said. “We hung tough. We had been close all night and finally Josh Johnson, a sophomore who rarely plays came of the bench and found a little seam and we touched the ball to him.”
Johnson’s catch proved that in close games like the one the two teams were in, that one key play can make a difference.
“That’s a game winner,” E.D. White head coach Kyle Lasseigne said. “That’s what they do. That’s why they are 6-0.”
Another sound defensive effort by the Tigers held the Cardinals (2-5) offense to 122 yards. The Tigers’ offense on the other hand notched 279 yards (188 rushing).
After a late interception by defensive back Javonti Knockum, fullback Brandon Duncan sealed the game with an eight-yard touchdown run with 1:34 to play. The Tigers escaped Harvey Peltier Stadium with the 13-3 win.
Despite the loss, Lasseigne praised his team’s efforts, as they hung with the number nine ranked team in Class 5A for three quarters.
“We just got a little out-athleted at the end sometimes and didn’t do enough,” he said. “We’re a bunch of Warriors, we fought all night, we just didn’t have enough to win tonight.”
Before a standing-room-only crowd, both teams played clean ball; there were no personal foul penalties.
“Championship teams stop on the whistle and get ready for the next play,” Lorio said. “Another close game our kids we’re behind. Another game our defense played great and another game we found a way to win.”
Lasseigne agreed, saying his players are proud of the Tigers.
“Our kids are happy for them, they’re undefeated,” he said. “We’re just on two different ends of the spectrum right now and hopefully we’ll be there. It’s mutual respect.”
Quarterback Tyler Duplantis led the Cardinals’ offense, going 12-for-22 for 107 yards.
The lone score for the Cardinals was a 25-yard field goal from Andrew Jones as time expired in the first half.
The win moves the Tigers one step closer to the district championship. District play resumes next. The Tigers host Central Lafourche for Homecoming in a game with possible playoff implications.
The game is being played Thursday night because of Halloween.
“We’re expecting the same kind of game, a very good game,” Lorio said. “We’ll get back to work and get ready for tomorrow.”
Thibodaux High’s Trovon Reed looks for room against two E.D. White defenders. Reed led all Tigers with 91 yards on 20 carries as Thibodaux won 13-3. The Tigers, ranked No. 9 in Class 5A are currently undefeated at 6-0. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
