Tigers earn thrilling, last-second win over Chalmette

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The Terrebonne High School football team has star power and lots of it.

But the beauty of high school athletics is that for every well-known standout like Jakhi Douglas, Keshawn James and Chaz Ward, there are always a dozen other lesser knowns who do their part every, single Friday night who don’t get quite the same recognition, but who are still a huge part of the team.

With that said, meet Terrebonne senior kicker Johan Cruz.


For months Cruz has worked hard in practice to stay sharp, but was never needed in a game.

But on Friday night, coach Gary Hill called his number in two of the most pressure-filled moments of the season and he delivered each time, sending he and his teammates to the second round of the Class 5A State Playoffs for the first time since 2010.

Cruz made two field goals — the first two field goals Terrebonne has attempted all year — to send the Tigers to a 24-22 win over Chalmette in the opening round of the Class 5A State Playoffs.


Cruz’s first kick was a 36-yarder before halftime. The second was something one would see in the movies. The Tigers were down 22-21 and there were a couple seconds to play. Despite cold, wet, windy conditions at Thibodaux High School, the native Nicaraguan delivered a beauty that split the uprights, sending the team to victory.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Tigers carried Cruz off the field — forever etching his place in Terrebonne history.

Coach Gary Hill said his kicker’s performance shows what the spirit of high school sports are all about — student-athletes competing for their schools and playing selfless roles for the greater good of being part of a team.


“He’s been out there doing his part all year and we’ve never had to put him out there,” Hill said. “For him to stay ready after all this time and to come on the field and do his job in that moment, it says a lot about him and the type of kid that he is. It was a great moment for our team and we get the chance to keep playing.”

Chalmette scared the heck out of Terrebonne on Friday night.

They came to play — from start to finish.


The Owls dominated the early action, scoring on a short touchdown run midway through the first quarter to go ahead 8-0. Terrebonne answered midway through the second quarter to cut the lead to 8-6 on a touchdown from Douglas, but the Tigers missed the 2-point conversion, which gave the Owls some momentum.

They kept that edge, running back the ensuing kickoff to go up 15-6 with just more than 6 minutes before halftime.

But Terrebonne calmed itself after that exchange, getting a touchdown from Anthony Ruffin before halftime, then a field goal from Cruz to make the game 15-all at halftime.


“We knew coming in that Chalmette would present challenges to us,” Hill said. “Just their size and their strength were things we knew they had. And they had some athletes and were a very well-coached football team.”

In the second half, the Tigers took their first lead on a short touchdown run from Ward midway through the third quarter to go up 21-15, but the Tigers missed the extra point, which almost loomed large in the game. Chalmette drove down the field on its next possession and re-took the lead on a quarterback sneak play. After a converted extra point, Chalmette lead 22-21 — a lead which held throughout almost the entire fourth quarter.

Truth is, the Owls were actually just a few yards away from winning. Douglas fumbled late in the game, which turned the ball over to Chalmette with a chance to run the clock out.


The Owls played fourth down from Terrebonne’s 11-yard-line, but came up short, giving the ball to the Tigers with 1:47 on the clock and no timeouts — deep in their own territory.

But the battle-tested Tigers found a way, generating several big plays on the drive to set up Cruz for his kick.

With the win, the Tigers will now face No. 10 Ouachita Parish on Friday.


Hill said school officials will decide on Wednesday or Thursday as to whether the game will be played in Tom B. Smith Stadium or again moved to Thibodaux.

OTHER LOCAL SURVIVES, SOME FALL

Terrebonne will have local company in the second round of the playoffs.

E.D. White soared to the Quarterfinals in Division II, beating St. Michael 27-7 on Friday night in Thibodaux.


The Cardinals’ defense was the story of the game, holding St. Michael without a first down until the third quarter.

With control, quarterback Brandon Legendre and halfback Michael Clement made things happen, moving the chains for a Cardinals’ offense that was efficient in the win.

Coach Chris Bergeron said he was proud of the Cardinals for their effort on Friday, saying that the team’s defense continues to peak at the right time.


“I’m proud of those guys for the way they played,” Bergeron said. “St. Michael played an offense that was similar to South Lafourche and I think our guys were familiar with it and they did a good job executing and making the plays we needed.

With the win, E.D. White will get a little taste of deja vu. The Cardinals will take on No. 3 St. Thomas More in Lafayette. The last time E.D. White won a playoff game (2016), they also played St. Thomas More in the second round.

Other locals didn’t have as much luck.


In Division II, De La Salle ended Vandebilt’s season 42-7 on the back of a powerful rushing attack and dominant defense.

The Cavaliers’ multi-faceted rushing attack got big chunks of yardage throughout the game to move one step closer to the Superdome.

On the Northshore and in the Class 5A bracket, Slidell beat Central Lafourche 35-21 in a sloppy, mud-filled game that was defined by big plays.


The Tigers roared out to a 13-0 lead in the first half, then 20-0 in the second half.

But the Trojans had plenty fight left, getting a touchdown run from Deon Jenkins, then a pick-six to trim the advantage to 20-14 going to the fourth quarter.

But the Trojans couldn’t get enough stops late in the game to have a chance to take the lead, ending the team’s season with a 6-5 record.


In Class 4A, South Terrebonne started strong, but struggled late, falling 48-12 to Northwood – Shreveport.

And in Division IV, both Houma Christian and CCA fell in the opening round. The Christian Warriors fell 70-6 against Lafayette Christian, while Opelousas Catholic beat the Lions 35-18.

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