Haynesville halts Delhi Charter School, 37-6
Haynesville – There is definitely a formula to winning 17 state championships and the Haynesville Golden Tornado executed it to perfection last Friday night in the LHSAA Quarterfinal matchup against the Delhi Charter Gators. The Tornado converted two Gator turnovers into 14 points and kept the visitors in poor field position most of the night in claiming the 37-6 victory.
“These guys have built a great program here by being fundamentally sound and not beating themselves,” Delhi Charter Head Coach Brett Raley said after the game. “We played well in spots but the two turnovers and poor field position just kept us backed up all night.”
DCS won the opening toss and deferred. Haynesville methodically drove 73 yards in 12 plays with quarterback Trent Franklin capping the drive on a 12-yard run. Caleb Watts added the PAT for the 7-0 lead. The Gators got a first down on the next drive but were unable to move past the 40 and punted.
For the next 12 minutes it was a defensive struggle as neither offense was able to score. That was until DCS Quarterback Mason Hale’s option pitch when awry and Haynesville’s Fabian Washington recovered at the Gator 45 with five minutes remaining before halftime. Four plays later, Treyon Hunter scored the first of his two TDs on the night with a two-yard run and Watts PAT made it 14-0 at the half.
“I didn’t really feel we were out of the game despite the turnover at that point,” Raley added. “We knew we got the ball to open the second half and we just needed to score and get back in the game. Defensively we were holding our own. Their plan was to keep the ball and wear us down since we’ve got a lot of guys going both ways and it started to show late in the second half.”
The Gators got the kickoff and had a drive moving early until a holding penalty, there were five called in the quarter on DCS and each one was costly, negated a 20-yard Joshua Poland run. Now facing third-and-15, Hales pass was intercepted as Washington collided with receiver Ryder Caldwell and came up with the ball. Three plays later Jarrius Bittle rumbled up the middle for 21 yards to paydirt. The conversion run was stopped for a 20-0 lead.
DCS didn’t quit as on the next series, Hale connected with Rodney Mitchell on a short out and he broke three tackles and raced down the sideline before being corralled at the 10. A personal foul moved the ball to the five and Hale bulled over from two yards for the score. The failed conversion run left it 20-6 with still 8:30 left in the quarter.
However, as championship teams do frequently, the Tornado answered on a nine play 56 yard drive aided by a personal foul penalty, which even the Tornado’s obnoxiously loud PA announced thought should have been off-setting penalties. Franklin connected with Washington on a 6-yard pass play and the conversion run made it 28-6 with four minutes left in the quarter. The rest of the night, Haynesville kept Delhi Charter in poor field position and the time of possession difference began to wear on the Gators. Hunter added an 11-yard run in the fourth and Watts kicked a 22-yard FG to round out the scoring.
Hunter led all rushers with 27 carries for 104 yards and Bittle added 84 on 13 totes. DCS’ Kody Ellis and Joshua Poland each had 59 yards rushing for the Gators. Hale was 5 of 13 for 97 yards passing with the interception. Mitchell was the leading receiver with three catches for 91 yards.
“Like I said on the coach’s show this week, I’m really proud of this team and how they got better each week and played hard no matter what,” Raley said. “We know it would take a great effort to beat a team like Haynesville and we didn’t get it done. But we have nothing to be ashamed of tonight.”
Haynesville will host Oak Grove next week in the semi-final round with a trip to the Superdome for the winner. DCS finishes the season at 9-4 and unfortunately will jump up to Class 2A next season as the smallest school in that classification. That means a whole new group of district teams and schedule. Also, Delhi Charter will say goodbye to 11 seniors who have left their mark on the program. Several of these kids have been starting since they were freshman. The seniors are DB/WB Alandis Stubblefied, DE/WR Rodney Mitchell, TB/LB Kody Ellis, DB/WR Jackson Rider, WR Ryder Caldwell, LB/WB Cody Smith, RB/LB Kaleb Offord, OL/DL Kendal Offord, OL/DL Trey Welch, C/DL Anthony Smithey, and DL Aaron York.